Peter Fitzpatrick (Louth, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I am sure the Taoiseach is aware that there are great concerns in respect of housing. The housing crisis is felt in every part of the country. Not a day goes by where people call to my constituency office looking for a home or somewhere to stay. There is a severe housing shortage, spiralling rental costs, and in Louth alone, rents have gone up by 8%. This is hitting everybody and all walks of life.

I invite the Taoiseach today, together with the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, Deputy O’Brien, seated beside him, to come to my home town of Dundalk to visit three areas. At present there are about 30 unoccupied council houses in Dundalk. I appreciate the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage is paying €11,000 to local authorities to get these houses back on the market. It is taking approximately between six and seven months, if not longer, to get this done. These are called void reports. There are 30 families in Dundalk alone, not Drogheda or Ardee, who could walk into these homes tomorrow morning.

The second issue is that I want the Taoiseach to come to visit a site on the outskirts of Dundalk. This developer has planning permission for 500 houses and is willing to put in 150 to 200 modular homes. These modular homes are fully serviced, are close to schools and shops, and the developer, as I have said, is willing to go ahead with these. These are family homes for people who are in a very bad situation at the moment and who could be on the waiting list of Louth County Council for as long as ten years. I have asked all my constituents if they would be willing to go into modular homes and they would be delighted to have a roof over their heads. As homelessness is at record heights at the moment, this would be a win-win situation for all.

I would then like to take the Taoiseach and the Minister to a factory about ten miles from Dundalk which manufactures modular homes. These are three- and four-bedroom, top-class and fully fitted modular homes. They take between four and five weeks to put them together. The company is willing to put a team together to facilitate these 150 to 200 homes. I have seen these houses myself. They are high-spec family homes and, again, I believe it is a win-win for everybody.

With home ownership declining, and no further homes to buy, it is very important we do this. The present cost to rent a property in Dundalk and the Louth area is €1,420, and that is the cheapest.

I ask the Taoiseach to give assurances on the issues I have raised and that he and the Minister will come to Dundalk. This is just one area and, as I have said, there are many other areas such as Drogheda and Ardee. The Taoiseach is always asking for solutions. To me this is a win-win for all. People at the moment are only talking about modular homes for Ukrainians. I have no problem with that but I have people coming to my constituency office asking me, where there is a house for rent, to please contact them or the auctioneer. I could have possibly 20 to 30 such people calling in a day. This is a win-win for all. Will the Taoiseach and the Minister, Deputy O’Brien, come to Dundalk to have a look?

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