Aideen Hayden (Labour)

As Senator Ó Domhnaill said, the issue of mortgage lending must be addressed. If the pillar banks will not comply, we must look at other options. We may have to go back to the local authority model under which considerable amounts of lending was made to low-income people. Alternatively, the credit unions may be able to offer some solution. Let us not forget either that we own the Irish Nationwide Building Society branch network. In a situation where mortgage lending has fallen to 1971 levels, action must be taken urgently.

In regard to vacant local authority housing stock, the Department has made additional sums available to turn around voids very quickly. There is no doubt that at times when the housing waiting list is long, the sight of boarded-up housing in existing estates is a cause of great frustration in local communities. Reference was made earlier to the difficulties experienced by people with disabilities in accessing housing. I am aware from my own experience that similar difficulties often arise for single homeless people. I ask the Minister of State to consider providing a specific incentive for local authorities when a unit becomes vacant. For example, it may be a three-bedroom unit that traditionally has been let to a family. The Department might consider making moneys available to subdivide and perhaps extend such a unit in order that it might accommodate two smaller family units or it might be renovated to accommodate a disabled person. This would bring more balance to the local authority housing stock, rather than having it geared specifically towards providing certain types of unit.