Michael McGrath (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I must apologise because I am not familiar with the detail of this particular case, the Davitt complex, but we will certainly look into it. I want to underline what the Government position is. Our position is that we support integration. The best developments around the country have a mix of tenure types, of house types and apartments, involving private, cost-rental, social and affordable housing. We certainly do not support segregation. There may well be a role here for the local authority to work out the application of Part V with the developer to ensure that there is proper integration and certainly not segregation.

The change to Part V is a positive development which means that in all future private developments we have Part V social and Part V affordable housing embedded within those developments. I have seen many examples in the past where the integration of Part V in developments has been seamless and invisible which is the way it should be. That is the nature of the integrated model of housing that we want to have in our country.

The Deputy has raised a very particular issue which warrants a considered response from the local authority, the approved housing body, AHB, if one is involved and indeed the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage. We will certainly raise the issue with them. I want to be crystal clear as to what the Government position is. We support integration. We do not support segregation. Part V should be seamless in its application because it is a very positive thing have social affordable purchase and private housing at all situated together.

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