Victor Boyhan (Independent) | Oireachtas source

Why did the previous Government introduce a tenant purchase scheme when, for example, the local authority from which I have come has built six houses and when we know there are hundreds of people already applying and qualifying to purchase these houses? Forget about the principle of selling or not selling. We will be forced to sell more houses than we are building. What guarantee is there that when houses are sold, new houses will be built? I am not sure I want local authorities buying affordable accommodation in the market as I want first-time buyers buying affordable properties. Our local authority spent €500,000 on a house that needed to be done up in Blackrock, County Dublin. People cannot buy these houses and we must get back to the principle of direct provision, building and maintaining quality houses while having pride in them.

Will the Minister of State explain about the 500 modular houses? There was great fanfare last year about them, but where are they? There is none in my constituency. Councillors and members of the great political parties here have consistently opposed social housing, so why have the party hierarchies not hauled them in? They have taken the Whip and are members of these organisations so it should be indicated that it is unacceptable not to support the provision of social housing in our communities. We do not divorce ourselves as a political body because we are in the Seanad, Dáil or the council. If members are representing a party on the ground in the community, they must be held to account as to why they would not support the provision of social housing, in line with party policy and what is being espoused by the Government in the Houses of the Oireachtas.

With the National Asset Management Agency, NAMA, billions of euro of property in Ireland has been sold at a knock-down price, and at a time when we have a national housing emergency, we have allowed such properties go to vulture funds. We tried to ask the Department how many houses were offered by NAMA, but talk about trying to get an answer. We asked how many apartments were made available and where they were. We were told NAMA sold them. Why is there no pressure on NAMA to have an audit of properties? It is ridiculous.

There are major social consequences when people are not provided with a home and the dignity and comfort associated with it.