Thomas Gould (Cork North-Central, Sinn Fein)

Two weeks ago, Cork City Council announced an affordable housing scheme. This will be delivered through the Department's funding and by Cork City Council. There is shock that it will cost just under €400,000 to buy one of these properties. For years people who cannot get a mortgage and who do not quality for social housing have been contacting my office and I have been telling them about affordable housing. Those people are now asking me: where is the affordable housing because for most families this is not affordable? To give an idea, the maximum someone who is on Cork City Council's social housing list - that is three adults and four children - can earn is €48,000. The average is much less, probably €44,000 or €45,000. The minimum income threshold to qualify for these affordable houses is €71,500. That is €24,000 in the difference - maybe €25,000 - between the average family's earning. What about those people who are trapped in the middle and who cannot qualify for social housing, cannot get a mortgage and now under the Government's scheme cannot get affordable housing? Does the Government know what it is doing? Does it know what these people can afford? About the only thing they can afford is a plane ticket to Australia and that is for sure. This is State-sponsored emigration that the Government is driving, through its lack of housing, investment, and by letting down generations.

We are saying to people considering emigrating, the parents or grandparents of someone who is looking at emigrating, or a person or family who cannot afford a mortgage and all of those people who are angry or frustrated at this Government's housing policy failure to come to the National Monument in Cork on 21 June at 2 p.m. This is not just Sinn Féin but it is across all political parties in the Opposition, unions under ICTU, charities, homeless organisations, and student unions under the Raise the Roof banner. Everyone is coming because the Government has failed and people want action. People want homes.

I spoke to the Minister of State, Deputy O'Sullivan, a few weeks ago about the tenant in situ scheme. The Taoiseach made a statement. The Minister, Deputy Browne, made a statement. I know of two families who became homeless last week despite all of the Government's promises about funding. I know of two more who will become homeless during the next two weeks. I ask the Minister of State a straight question. Will Cork City Council and every local authority get the funding to prevent more families and children going into emergency accommodation and becoming homeless because this is one problem the Government can fix it if wants to?

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