Results 18,981-19,000 of 26,245 for speaker:Darragh O'Brien

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Question Heading for question(s) 275 (17 May 2018)

Darragh O'Brien: 275. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the estimated number of units provided through the repair and lease scheme in 2018; the number provided in 2017; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21901/18]

Affordable Housing: Motion [Private Members] (16 May 2018)

Darragh O'Brien: I firmly believe, as I think the Minister, Sinn Féin and others do, that we need an affordable housing scheme. There is no such scheme at present. The Government has not built any affordable houses. I remind the Minister that the average house price in Dublin is €368,356, or 6.5 times the average household income. I am using that as an example. I am not talking about...

Affordable Housing: Motion [Private Members] (16 May 2018)

Darragh O'Brien: Okay.

Affordable Housing: Motion [Private Members] (16 May 2018)

Darragh O'Brien: This is the Chamber where Ministers are supposed to be answerable to those who are elected. I am putting across my point of view. I did not interrupt the Minister once during his diatribe earlier in this debate. I could have interrupted him, but I did not.

Affordable Housing: Motion [Private Members] (16 May 2018)

Darragh O'Brien: I interrupted the Deputy once or twice.

Affordable Housing: Motion [Private Members] (16 May 2018)

Darragh O'Brien: We clearly believe that an affordable housing scheme is needed, among other measures. I asked the Minister to tell the House when such a scheme will be established, but he did not answer. There is a need for an affordable housing scheme that is backed by Exchequer funds and can be leveraged through a special purpose vehicle or through credit union finance. By the way, since 1 February last...

Affordable Housing: Motion [Private Members] (16 May 2018)

Darragh O'Brien: On average, 3,645 houses were built in each of those years.

Affordable Housing: Motion [Private Members] (16 May 2018)

Darragh O'Brien: I have had experience with-----

Affordable Housing: Motion [Private Members] (16 May 2018)

Darragh O'Brien: I have to say I have yet to find the Minister orderly. I have given the facts. The last time we were in government, an average of 3,645 social houses were built each year. That contrasts with the position during the Minister's tenure. The Minister of State, Deputy English, has said we cannot fix this overnight. I would have thought that five years would have been enough. We should have...

Affordable Housing: Motion [Private Members] (16 May 2018)

Darragh O'Brien: I thank Deputies for their contributions this evening, regardless of whether I agreed with them. It has been a useful, if sometimes a little charged, debate. We are committed to working with all parties to deliver an affordable housing scheme. Obviously, the Government is not serious about delivering such a scheme.

Affordable Housing: Motion [Private Members] (16 May 2018)

Darragh O'Brien: I thank all of my party colleagues and those from across the House who contributed to this debate this evening. The Minister of State, Deputy English, suggested that we are debating affordability this evening because social housing and homelessness are being addressed but that is patently untrue. We are debating an affordable housing scheme because Fianna Fáil tabled a motion on it. I...

Affordable Housing: Motion [Private Members] (16 May 2018)

Darragh O'Brien: Tá bron orm-----

Affordable Housing: Motion [Private Members] (16 May 2018)

Darragh O'Brien: I am terribly sorry that the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government cannot take any legitimate criticism. What I am saying to him is that his plan is not working. He knows that.

Affordable Housing: Motion [Private Members] (16 May 2018)

Darragh O'Brien: Hold on one second. The Minister is in his job because we facilitate that. That is why he is there and he should have no doubt about it. I would prefer if he was more concerned about the 10,000 people who are homeless or about the people who cannot buy houses. I want to address the point made earlier that homelessness is not in this motion. We will be discussing homelessness in...

Affordable Housing: Motion [Private Members] (16 May 2018)

Darragh O'Brien: I got an acknowledgement. Is that it?

Affordable Housing: Motion [Private Members] (16 May 2018)

Darragh O'Brien: Excuse me?

Affordable Housing: Motion [Private Members] (16 May 2018)

Darragh O'Brien: I have not seen the Minister recently either. When was the last time he appeared before the Joint Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government?

Affordable Housing: Motion [Private Members] (16 May 2018)

Darragh O'Brien: When was the last time the Minister came into the housing committee?

Affordable Housing: Motion [Private Members] (16 May 2018)

Darragh O'Brien: I look forward to seeing the Minister there tomorrow. Am I to be allowed to conclude?

Affordable Housing: Motion [Private Members] (16 May 2018)

Darragh O'Brien: I was one of those Deputies.