Michael Collins (Cork South West, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Social Democrats for tabling this motion.

Members of the public got €200 from the Government to help with the soaring cost of living but wealthy developers, the vast majority of which are multinational development companies, will get a handout of up to €144,000 each. The proposed scheme will be available only for apartment developments in the five major cities: Dublin, Cork, Galway, Limerick and Waterford. This policy is reckless and will do nothing to support the delivery of affordable houses. The scheme represents a social welfare or State handout for the biggest developers or builders in Ireland and there is no means test. What makes this obscene scheme worse is that the cash will be handed over without the Government seeking any reduction in the price when the apartments are sold. Yet again, we are doing nothing to help the first-time buyers. The proposal will help the bigger cities, as many have said before, but it will not help the ordinary people seeking houses in Clonakilty, Skibbereen, Bantry, Bandon and many more places in west Cork. It is of no benefit whatsoever to them; as a matter of fact, it probably makes things worse for them.

There is a massive housing crisis. I welcomed the visit of the Minister, Deputy Darragh O'Brien, to Skibbereen and Clonakilty last Friday but he did not announce money for a water scheme in Clonakilty. Clonakilty is now stifled; people cannot build there. Individuals cannot even get planning permission. It is a scandal that a growing town in west Cork has been left like that. We seem to have money for foreign developers in most cases. There is no problem at all for them but Clonakilty will be stifled and held back until we dish out all the money all over the country. Constituents of mine who come to my clinics every weekend cannot get a mortgage or council house. They have been waiting for ten or 12 years. Young people with a site at home are being refused planning permission but there is no problem with development and building, building, building. It is a matter of the Government pumping money into the wealthy. Where it gets the money when it suits it, I do not understand. Why has it not considered the counties? Why has it not considered a place such as west Cork, which badly needs money for development? The Minister has to wake up and understand that. Development in rural areas must not be stifled.

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