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

Ba mhaith liom cheist a fhreagairt ón Teachta O'Callaghan. I am not accepting these amendments. The national planning framework deals with the national planning system. When we get to Part 7, we will deal with the affordable housing provision. We could have a general discussion on housing but I want to focus on a couple of points. Housing output is very important and it is increasing substantially. I point out to Deputy Boyd Barrett that more than 4,000 affordable houses were delivered last year and over 6,000 will be delivered this year. We delivered more social homes last year than have been delivered since 1975. We will deliver more this year. I encourage the Deputies present, who all have an interest in housing, to read the Euroconstruct report published yesterday. It shows that Irish housing output is at nearly double the EU average. While the situation is not perfect and there are lots of challenges to deal with, it certainly is going in the right direction. Compared with other EU states, we are well ahead.

I have been very clear that the provision of affordable housing is an absolute objective of the State. In the case of two Acts we brought forward, the Affordable Housing Act and the Land Development Agency Act, two of the Deputies who have spoken today opposed both of them. Those Acts brought forward cost-rental provision and put affordable housing and owner-occupier status in law for the first time as housing tenures. We brought forward the owner-occupier guarantee. We have changed the law going forward. We could not act retrospectively in regard to bulk purchases of homes but we have delivered very successfully in ensuring more than 60,000 planning permissions are banned from bulk sales. Those homes are earmarked for individual sale purposes.

I am not in a position to accept the Opposition amendments. I accept the bona fides of Deputy O'Callaghan in his desire to see the delivery of more affordable housing. I share that desire. We are delivering on it right now. This section, with its provisions on the NPF, is not the place to do it.

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