Charles Ward (Donegal, 100% Redress Party)

I support this motion that calls to declare a national housing and infrastructure emergency and introduce time-bound emergency legislation that would enable local authorities and developers to accelerate the delivery of housing on already zoned, infrastructure-ready land. As I said last week, we cannot take the necessary steps to properly address this crisis until we call it what it is: a national emergency. The failure of the Government and previous Governments to deliver on housing is a failure of public policy. So many young people in my constituency of Donegal face an impossible situation as house prices soar and rents are unaffordable and unavailable. It is a disgrace they are unable to afford to live in the very towns and communities they grew up in.

Instead, they are forced to emigrate in the hope of a better life, opportunities and a bit of independence. Young people cannot be expected to live in their families homes well into adulthood. It is stunning that the independence of our young people is being severely damaged, along with family relationships. The Government's housing policy is driving young people away and is setting up a future generation for complete failure. We have an ageing population and we are doing absolutely nothing to actively address this. The construction of new homes in Donegal has nearly come to a standstill. On top of this, we are grappling with a defective concrete crisis.

Last year, only 382 new builds were completed in Donegal. That is nowhere near what is needed. We need to building 1,400 homes a year over the next ten to 15 years to keep on top of the defective concrete crisis alone. On top of this, we need to be building 1,200 new homes a year just to sustain the current population in Donegal. That does not account for population growth over the next number of years. Effectively, we need to be building 2,600 homes a year in the north west. We need targeted measures to introduce this to meet the housing demand. We cannot continue to allow this crisis to wreak havoc on the county. The failure to enforce regulation means there is no guarantee that new builds or rebuilt homes are free from defective materials, allowing the vicious cycle to continue and leaving homeowners vulnerable to further trauma in the future. I know for a fact that today, there are houses in Donegal being built with defective concrete. We keep on continuing with this madness.

We are supposed to be moving on from this crisis but nothing has changed and no lessons have been learned. We are dragged back into this crisis time and again. We are simply asking to move on. We are losing all hope of ever seeing an end to this. Impacted homeowners trust in the system and trust in the Government to do the right thing but this has been completely broken over the years. Families are pushed to the brink emotionally, mentally and financially as they navigate through a system that seems destined to fail them. The failure is not just about bricks and mortar; it is an erosion of trust over the years. It has been happening for almost 15 years now. It is an erosion of dignity, fundamental rights and a safe place to call home.

We all deserve a place to call home and to have a sense of security, but the sense of security is being stripped away from the people of Donegal. This is cruel and unfair. There need to be accountability, transparency and immediate action. People are seeking to move on with and enjoy their lives and to be rid of the burden of defective concrete. It is exhausting for them to live this crisis 24-7, 365 days per year, year in, year out.

Recent studies show the rates of depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder and suicidal ideation among people living in defective homes are comparable with those among disaster-stricken and displaced populations. This is incredibly concerning and warrants an emergency response in Donegal. It is time for the Government to wake up and take drastic action to allow us to continue to go on with our lives and help the people of Donegal.

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