Richard O'Donoghue (Limerick County, Independent) | Oireachtas source

Why were EU funds intended to support rural Ireland redirected to climate measures? In 2021, Ireland received €365.5 million from the EU to spend on supports for Ireland’s economy in mitigating the impact of Brexit. Ireland was the biggest beneficiary of Brexit funding as we were the country worst affected by Brexit. The funding Ireland received was to contribute to the improvement of living standards, support economic growth and mitigate the negative impacts on local communities.

Through a Government source, I have learned that a request was made to the European Commission to transfer €150 million of the Brexit adjustment reserve funding to support the roll-out of climate measures. What is the biggest crisis in Ireland currently? It is surely housing. Why can the Government not direct the funding into housing infrastructure? I have asked for this to be done for the past three years. A few minutes ago, the Taoiseach asked this side of the House to help. I have been a building contractor all of my life. I understand building, infrastructure and how to build houses and other properties. The Taoiseach said the answer to this is to build social housing. I agree with him.

The Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, Deputy Darragh O’Brien, was in Limerick recently where he announced that social housing was to be built. We visited five different areas. We started in Patrickswell where 110 houses were being announced but the infrastructure in Patrickswell is under pressure and funding is being sought. We then went on to Hospital where 20 new houses are being delivered. I am thankful for that as I have been asking for this housing but five of those houses had on-site sewerage systems because there was no capacity. The Taoiseach has asked me for help and I am giving him my advice on something I know because I live and breathe it every day. The answer to the housing crisis is infrastructure. For 40 years, the governments of Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael and the Labour Party have failed to invest in infrastructure in Limerick. If I had infrastructure, I would deliver the houses. The Government can take the recognition for it and I would give it. I ask it to give me the funding to put infrastructure in Limerick and we will have no housing crisis in Limerick.

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