Victor Boyhan (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the Minister. I thank Senators Dolan, Grace O'Sullivan, Black, Higgins, Kelleher and Ruane for using Private Members' time to table this very important issue.

I am a former director of Irish Guide Dogs for the Blind and I spent many years on its board. I remain pretty much involved in the whole disability sector. We had a catch phrase in Cork for the Irish Guide Dogs for the Blind. I am sure the Minister would be very familiar with the organisation, particularly as he comes from that neck of the woods. The catch phrase in question was a simple slogan which tried to encapsulate the core message of our ethos and work. It was about providing independent mobility with dignity. It reminded me, when I reflected on that, what this debate is all about. This is about people's rights, which are enshrined in the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. They have special rights. It is about choice, dignity and people being allowed to play a meaningful and independent role where possible within their communities and where they decide.

I acknowledge the work Senator Coffey, as a former Minister of State in the Department, did in this area. In fairness, he did a great deal of work on it. In a previous contribution, the Senator spoke about local authorities. I have been a member of the local authority for many years. I accept that local authorities have failed in this regard but what have successive Ministers done? The debate cannot be divorced from the position regarding Dáil Éireann, Seanad Éireann and local councils. These councils are made up of members of Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael and all parties and none. I know what has happened. In some cases, there is no joined-up thinking between the strategic policy committees on planning and on housing and nor is there any commitment or drive.

I do not need to tell the Minister about the lack of enthusiasm on the part of some local authorities to delivering housing. Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council - my local authority - has 6,500 people on it housing waiting list. Many excuses are offered and we are informed that loads of people are looking into the problem. Loads of councillors from all groups and none bring proposals and chief executives, who are usually empowered by legislation and by the political process, inform them that it is a matter of resources. I am fed up of this excuse about resources. I am also fed up with politicians saying it is the establishment, the county management or the chief executives. We have got to pull it all back. I would nearly say that we need a major housing body for the four Dublin councils.

The local authorities are not delivering on housing and that is the reality. The Minister knows his sums and is preparing a major report on housing. I have spoken to a number of county managers and chief executives and they were interested to hear what the Minister is going to come up with. However, let us acknowledge that local authorities have not delivered. One could also say that the elected members of local authorities have not pushed the matter. I have been at strategic policy committees that have a quorum and ten minutes later the attendees have emptied out of the room. These are the facts and I do not wish to keep going on about them. The key message is that I hope, in the context of the Minister's report, we set quotas for the delivery of houses for people with disabilities. We also need to provide resources or tell the local authorities to provide the resources. It is great that the legislation is in place because local authorities were taking money in lieu of Part V for years.