Conor McGuinness (Waterford, Sinn Fein)

The Minister mentioned Our Rural Future. While I am glad to hear that the next iteration of the Government's rural development policy will look at housing, the previous one did not do so in any meaningful sense. In fact, it had more to say on rural broadband than on rural housing. I believe that is part of the fundamental problem. This Government and its predecessors have wasted years when housing should have been developed. Rural communities need action on housing. They need delivery of affordable and social homes and provision of affordable serviced sites. Coastal villages like Ardmore are facing a demographic cliff edge. Tá ár gceantair Ghaeltachta, cosúil leis An Rinn i bPort Láirge, ag feitheamh le blianta i gcomhair tithíochta inacmhainne agus sóisialta. Families are crying out for help. While the Minister is right that much of the responsibility lies with the housing Minister, the Department of Rural and Community Development needs to step up. The recently passed national planning framework offers zero ambition. It remains to be seen what Our Rural Future mark 2 will promise and actually deliver when it comes to rural housing.

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