Conor McGuinness (Waterford, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I wish the Minister and Minister of State well in their roles, especially my constituency colleague, the Minister of State, Deputy Cummins. The Report of the Housing Commission declares the current housing situation a crisis of unprecedented scale that demands immediate and decisive action. It identifies the significant and sustained shortfall in housing supply as a core issue requiring a substantial increase in delivery not just in our cities but in our rural communities and remote Gaeltacht areas.

On affordability, the report shows urban areas are not the only ones affected. House prices continue to rise across the State, that is, in rural Ireland as much as in the cities. House prices and rents continue to spiral. Daft recorded a 10% jump in rents in County Waterford, which is over double the increase in Dublin. Meanwhile, Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil throw numbers around like snuff at a wake in an effort to confuse, mislead and distract from their abysmal performance over recent years. The lack of progress on affordable and social housing means villages and towns are facing demographic cliff edges in many cases as young people from these communities are unable to set up homes and raise families of their own.

In my constituency this problem presents itself in Dunmore East, Tramore, Bunmahon, Dungarvan, Gaeltacht na nDéise, Ardmore and many other areas. In the latter there are very serious concerns about the ability of the village to survive as a community due to the inability of families to set up homes there. While there has been some progress in recent months, the slow saga continues and there is still not one affordable or social home built. Is amhlaidh an scéal é i nGaeltacht na nDéise. Tá todhchaí an cheantair Gaeltachta seo i mbaol mar gheall ar an easpa tithíochta inacmhainne agus sóisialta. Is géarchéim í anois agus tá beart de réir briathair ag teastáil ón Rialtas. Caithfidh an Rialtas gach tacaíochta a thabhairt don phobal áitiúil, d’Údarás na Gaeltachta agus do Chomhairle Cathrach agus Contae Phoirt Láirge chun tithíocht sóisialta agus inacmhainne maraon le suíomhanna inacmhainne a chur ar fáil. I am asking the Government to use every resource at its disposal and for the Minister and Minister of State to work with Údarás na Gaeltachta, the community in Gaeltacht na nDéise and with Waterford City and County Council to develop and progress the project to develop affordable housing, social housing and serviced sites.

Rural Ireland cannot wait any longer. We need to see more urgency from the Department when it comes to affordable and social housing in rural and Gaeltacht communities. We need to see more urgency when it comes to rolling out affordable serviced sites as well.

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