Rónán Mullen (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I support previous speakers. I have experienced the frustration and anxiety of farmers as they look at a shrinking fodder supply and cattle still inside when they should be out in the fields.

I mention an issue which is particularly acute in Galway and Roscommon. The local authority in Galway has announced a €750,000 cut in housing aid for the elderly and disabled persons. These days as we reflect on the business of personal insolvency arrangements, in particular people's inability to pay for their houses, there is nothing as acute and frightening for a family as insecurity when it comes to the family home. Approximately 4,800 families are seeking family homes in Galway, while approximately 500 households are waiting to be housed in Roscommon. Given the cuts in housing aid generally, it is unlikely that there will be much progress in reducing these lists. The call made by Clúid, the national non-profit housing association, for innovative solutions is very welcome and timely. Mr. Simon Brooke, its head of policy, has called on local authorities to look at long-term leasing schemes, using the large number of unoccupied houses remaining from the previously buoyant property market. This is not a new idea, but it is one we must continue to discuss. Will the Minister of State responsible for housing and planning, Deputy Jan O'Sullivan, come to the House to clarify how the Government plans to address this problem?