Seanad debates

Wednesday, 1 July 2009

Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2008 [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil]: Report and Final Stages

 

10:00 pm

Photo of Michael FinneranMichael Finneran (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Fianna Fail)

The number of houses the local authorities have on their books is estimated to be approximately 3,700. In some cases local authorities are finding it difficult but I am informed that they are possibly in a position to sell 1,000. To ensure this important infrastructure is available to the people who need it, that is, those on housing lists, I have issued guidelines to local authorities. These relate to the sale of dwellings on the open market at the market price - to accommodate that I recently increased the local authority loan limit to €220,000; the sale of dwellings to local authority tenants under the incremental purchase scheme; the use of appropriate local authority properties to house persons currently obtaining rent supplement under a RAS type scheme for a temporary period; and use of temporary social housing supports under leasing arrangements. The final position is where funds are available and where appropriate housing authorities may consider taking the units into their permanent housing stock to be allocated as social housing.

We have given a large degree of flexibility to the housing authorities in this regard. There has been comment on this in the media and I insisted on taking part in a programme on RTE radio some weeks ago because there was some very negative presentation regarding the position of affordable houses. I felt it necessary to take part and present the correct factual situation, as did a member of Dublin City Council. These houses are an important infrastructure of the State albeit they are in the local authority system. Some 3,700 houses have been built and are in the possession of our local authorities. At another time we might say we were delighted to provide that number of houses. We now have them in addition to the other schemes and they will be put into use for the best purposes, albeit perhaps not that for which they were originally intended.

We must monitor and engage continually with the local authorities who have these houses. Not all do. There is a close connection between us and the authorities which is continual so we will be able to see how the scheme progresses. We believe this matter will be resolved in the best interests of people on our housing lists.

There is a minor cross-reference error in the Bill to a provision in the Planning and Development Act 2000 which will be corrected ahead of the Bill's enactment by way of the clerk's correction.

I thank Members for their contributions during the course of the Bill, in its earlier passage through the House and again today, and for their report on amendments made in the Dáil. Members of this House have raised important matters in respect of the Bill and all are reflected in the final document. Key provisions in respect of the tenant purchase of apartments and homeless action plans will have a statutory basis when the Bill is enacted.

The primary aim of the Bill remains, namely, to give legislative effect to the reforms set out in delivering homes and sustaining communities. That document set out a vision to guide the transformation of the housing sector over the medium term by delivering more and better quality housing responses and by doing so in a more strategic way that focused on the building of sustainable communities. I believe the Bill is a key element in the practical implementation of that agenda. I look forward to its enactment and moving on to the crucial implementation phase.

Again, I thank Senators. I brought the Bill to this House initially and had it read for a second time in this Chamber and am glad I did so because I spent almost 14 years in the Seanad. The contribution of Members was very constructive and thoughtful. I am glad to see Members of the House believe we have responded in so far as we could to the concerns they raised on Second and Committee Stages. The Bill was changed on Committee Stage in the Dáil.

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