Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

With regard to emergency planning, let us look to what Deputy Ó Broin has said in this very Chamber. We have already brought forward legislation to accelerate housing delivery through emergency planning. Deputy Ó Broin knows that. The Bill was passed in December but, at that time, he was singing a very different tune. He seems to have forgotten that he opposed facilitating the Bill being treated as an emergency and then he failed to support it in the Dáil. He should clarify whether his position remains the same or whether he is changing it today simply because it suits his narrative. We introduced emergency planning powers but the Deputy did not support them. He did not even support the passage of the Bill in the Dáil. That is just a fact. Anyone can look at the record of the Dáil.

With regard to the purchase of homes with tenants in situ, I am absolutely committed to expanding the use of such measures across the country. I have been crystal clear with local authorities as to what they need to do. There is a measure in Sinn Féin's motion with regard to buying individual non-rent supported homes and putting them into a cost-rental scheme. We will certainly look at options in respect of multi-unit developments where we can. However, Sinn Féin has not costed that measure. I will ask Deputy Ó Broin a couple of things to be helpful to the debate. How high would the rent be set if a unit was purchased for €400,000 or €500,000? What level of rent would the new tenant, who would become a cost-rental tenant, be charged? This is not something Sinn Féin has costed. It has just called for it. It was not even included in its 2023 alternative budget.

It is very clear that the most pressing issue in this State is housing. The way to grapple with that issue is to increase delivery. As I said at the very start of my contribution, in 2022 we delivered more new social homes than this State has in 50 years. We need to do more than that. As I also said, we have delivered affordable homes to purchase for the first time in over 15 years. Again, Sinn Féin opposed that. In tackling vacancy, we introduced the Croí Cónaithe vacancy grants. Deputy Ó Broin has said on the record that he opposes that measure. What is wrong with helping households and families through providing a grant to defray the cost of bringing vacant property back into use? I cannot understand his opposition to it. He also opposes the help-to-buy grant, the first homes scheme and any other measure brought forward.

See this speech in context