Fiona O'Malley (Progressive Democrats)

I welcome the Minister of State back to the House at what to an extent is an extremely difficult time for him. I do not refer to the immediate issue of his survival as a Minister of State, as I am sure he will, but to the question of dealing with affordable housing in the present climate. I do not envy the Minister of State that task. He is damned if he does and damned if he does not. Given the housing market, the international economic climate and the banking sector, it is very difficult to legislate and provide for housing in this fluid market. I do not envy the task of the Minister of State because the relevance of plans he has made has expired. That is not so say the plans should be jettisoned. It is difficult to provide for housing in this climate. That does not mean it cannot be done.

In Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown there is an acute problem because of the cost of development land. The local authority never had a good track record of providing social and affordable housing. The lists never moved and a predecessor in the role of the Minister of State, Bobby Molloy, used to give out to me continually about what the local authority was doing. At the time, land prices were soaring and the cost of providing any social and affordable housing was astronomical and did not make economic sense. This is one area where affordability is now within reach of people. That is to be welcomed. All of us who own properties see a devaluation but that is theoretical. What is most important is that homes become and remain affordable for families. The schemes the Government has devised have been successful in trying to reach out to provide home ownership.

From our history or for whatever reason, Irish people have a strong affinity with owning their homes. It is something everyone wishes to aspire to, even though one wonders about the wisdom of it. In view of the security it provides the Government has put energy, effort and resources into facilitating people to own their homes.

The Minister of State referred to planning in the document Towards 2016 requiring revision because of economic circumstances. It is a time when a cool head is needed and everyone will be giving the Minister of State conflicting advice. Nobody can read the markets; even actuaries or financial experts have difficulties reading the markets correctly.