Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent) | Oireachtas source

The Government has had six months to improve what is an extremely challenging housing crisis we have in this country. I think we can all agree that supply is the biggest issue we have. There is a clear lack of it. There is housing all around us: derelict houses, vacant premises, over-the-shop units and still ghost estates from the economic crash. While the Government has introduced some grant schemes that I can see being effective, it is not being aggressive enough to bring back what we have, never mind build enough new houses.

For example, Kerry County Council has 74 houses not currently on the voids programme as it requires €2.2 million to bring them back into use. That money needs to come quicker. There are 42 completely finished houses in Ard an Óir, in Sneem, which are being held up by red tape and which could sleep 300 people tonight. I ask the Minister to check out that issue, to be more proactive on the ground and to talk to councillors in each local authority.

Some 479 planning applications have been stuck in the black hole of An Bord Pleanála for over 12 months. How many housing units is that? An Bord Pleanála seems incapable of making decisions.

The Government is now looking at making improvements for property owners renting out houses. It is now looking at bringing in extra protection for renters. Why was this not done in the last six months? Instead, the Government is willing to leave renters on the cliff edge waiting to see if their eviction notices will come.

I want to see the ban remain in place until the Government finally gets to work and puts adequate protections in place for renters and property owners. Just in case the rest of the people here think they have all the answers, they do not. That is the sad thing about it. We have people here tonight, some of whom took to Twitter yesterday evening, who would stand here and criticise and demonise people like me for owning property. I will take care of and sleep many people tonight, as will other people like me, but others in this House will only be dreaming of what development they will object to next in their constituencies. Many people in People Before Profit, or whatever it is called these days, Sinn Féin, the Labour Party, Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael engage in this disgraceful practice.

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