Pat Moylan (Fianna Fail)

I welcome the Minister of State to the House and particularly welcome this short Bill. The Minister of State spelled out clearly the improvements and developments that have taken place around the country. Many local authority members have pursued the issue of affordable housing for many years. Several former local authority members are now Members of this House. They saw the need for affordable housing. Some local authority tenants' circumstances and employment prospects have improved and they are now in a position to purchase houses in private estates built at an affordable cost. This is very welcome because if that arises it will make houses available for tenants in local authority estates.

We must also consider the housing schemes provided by agencies such as Respond for people who have been on local authority housing lists. There is a ruling that those tenants may not buy out their houses which in the long term is not good for the estates. Whether a local authority estate or respond development, houses are better maintained when people own them. The maintenance costs in many estates of which I am aware are substantial and will continue to be so if we do not allow people to buy out their houses.

The Minister of State commented on the money being made available for housing. Irrespective of how many houses we build or what type they are there will always, unfortunately, be families on a waiting list. That has always been the way. I was a member of a local authority for several years and at one stage we had almost more houses than applicants for them. This was in rural Ireland. The scene changed as family situations changed and in some cases, following marriage break-ups, two houses were needed where formerly there had only been one. We have dealt with that.

Opposition Members shout about the need for more housing and more land. Some years ago the then Minister for the Environment instructed the county manager in my county to dispose of land we required for housing; we paid a high price later in trying to build up our land bank when the Department gave us money to provide housing for the many people on our waiting list. When money was tight the councils were instructed to dispose of land and had no option.

Sections 1 and 2 refer to the 20 years of residence. If people buy a house at an affordable price, 20 years is fair. After ten years there is a 10% reduction each year which is welcome. We have all seen situations where people bought out houses from local authorities under a purchase scheme many years ago. They bought at a knock-down price and shortly afterwards sold the houses and made substantial money on them while the council had people in flats and apartments looking for houses. Those sections are very important because we should make every effort to allow people who wish to purchase a house to get their first home. Everyone wants to own their own house. I welcome the Bill for that reason.

I also welcome the references to the banks and their involvement. I hope they will give money to people to purchase houses but I hope they will not repossess and sell those houses in the future if the economy tightens. They did that in the past when at least local authority members could help those who had borrowed money from the authority. They could talk to the managers in the banks who were available to discuss genuine hardship cases but lending institutions now get their money when they want it and show little mercy to anyone.

This Bill is welcome and much needed. If young people are in a position to purchase an affordable house that will ensure they can raise their families there. I thank the Minister of State for his work in the Department and the amount of funding he has made available to local authorities for housing schemes around the country.