Chris Andrews (Dublin Bay South, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

The last few sentences of the Minister of State's response provided some bit of hope, because there is clearly an issue around developments being exempted due to the site being 0.1 hectares. The scraping of height restrictions has led to applications for ten- and 15-storey buildings. There was an application for a 15-storey building in Ringsend with public housing available on the site but that did not happen. We need to ensure this loophole is closed. There are other sites next to Pearse House flats, which are not too far from here, and Leo Fitzgerald House that are exempt from the Part V provision of public housing. It means local communities and families will miss out. There are many cases of three generations of families living in two-bedroom flats, such as in Pearse House.

In one case, five people were living in a one-bedroom flat in Markievicz House until very recently. That is replicated right across the city. Conditions are overcrowded in many flats such as those on Rathmines Avenue, in Mercer House and Whitefriar Gardens. The overcrowding is completely unacceptable and it is equally unacceptable that developers are allowed to exploit loopholes in the legislation to get out of their responsibility to provide public housing for the local community.

I acknowledge the work the Minister of State has done. I know she is here regularly. The Minister of State certainly deserves a Christmas break because she has got to be one of the most hard-working Ministers around. Gabhaim buíochas léi and I wish her a happy Christmas.

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