Cormac Devlin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the opportunity to examine the report prepared by the Housing Commission. I also welcome Deputy Browne's appointment as Minister for housing. I have no doubt he will carry on the transformative agenda started by his predecessor, Deputy O'Brien.

The Housing Commission report is based over two years of deliberation by the commission and includes 83 recommendations, together with hundreds of suggested actions. Clearly, this is a significant piece of work and I thank the members of the commission for their efforts. As noted by colleagues from across the House, the report is very much a benchmark that provides a series of policy options for improving the State housing plan, Housing for All. Many of the suggestions in the report are welcome, and as the Minister noted, the Department is already implementing many of them.

As in 2016 and 2020, increasing the supply of housing remains the critical issue. The Housing for All scheme was transformative in creating multiple pathways to housing for people across Ireland. It involved a radical structural adjustment in the housing market, with the State becoming the key player in housing delivery. Many of the legislative changes introduced that are now facilitating housing delivery, were opposed by members of the Opposition. While members of the Opposition are entitled to oppose Government policy, they must be honest too about their own vision for the housing market and the impact it will have on home ownership rates.

Providing a route to home ownership has always been a core policy of Fianna Fáil. We believe home ownership creates a positive social benefit beyond the underlying financial costs of accommodation and as such, should be prioritised and supported by the State. Other parties favour models where families rent indefinitely from AHBs. That may suit some but most Irish people, when asked, aspire to home ownership. Fianna Fáil supports the aspiration and our policies will be guided by this core principle. Housing for All has significantly ramped up social housing with more than 42,000 social houses being delivered since 2020. This is particularly the case where local authorities are engaged with Housing for All schemes, such as in Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown, where we are seeing lists moving for the first time in a generation. This delivery needs to be continued and increased.

The priority, however, must be on the delivery of affordable housing for the squeezed middle; affordable housing to rent and affordable housing to buy for working people on middle incomes. These households are burdened with the highest rents and significant taxes. They need to be supported by the State. The current situation is not acceptable and it is delaying people settling down and starting families, which has its own social and personal cost.

Turning to my constituency of Dún Laoghaire, we have had significant progress on housing delivery, particularly with the 597-unit Shanganagh development in Shankill. We need to see more affordable housing, however, particularly for key workers. Sites are available and I will work with the Minister to see these projects are delivered.

I disagree with the Housing Commission recommendation to stop some home ownership routes, such as the ending of the tenant purchase scheme for local authority tenants. As I have previously said in this House, home ownership has social benefits beyond underlying cost and it should be supported by the State. I also disagree with the proposals, including those from the Opposition today, to end first-time buyers supports, such as the help-to-buy scheme. These supports are essential. We also need to see an extension to the vacant and derelict home scheme. A new category for extremely derelict buildings is necessary to encourage people to take on these types of properties in our towns and villages.

Finally, while not directly connected with the commission's report, I urge the Minister to consider increasing the thresholds for social housing support and the first-time buyer's schemes to bring them in line with recent changes to inflation. I wish both Ministers well in their work.

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