Victor Boyhan (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the Minister and congratulate him on the significant work he has done. I read his action plan three times last night and I then decided I would go back and look at A Programme for a Partnership Government. There was much play on the first 100 days and seven housing items in the programme were to be delivered within that period. Obviously, all of that has not happened but it is perhaps on the way. I commend the Minister on the work done. The way he is driving this demonstrates his absolute commitment in respect of the issue of housing.

I have been a member of Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council since the early 1990s. I am very familiar with housing issues and local government, and I have been involved in the Association of Irish Local Government and attended many conferences on housing. There is a real dynamic in this regard. This is one of the most important issues for the Government, and I acknowledge and salute the Minister for that.

I was a bit taken aback to see that there is a very high reliance on the private sector. That is obviously a deliberate policy of the Minister and a continuation of the policies of previous Governments. I do not have too much of a difficulty with some of that. However, let us remember that we have over 30 local authorities, all of which have a statutory function for housing - they are the housing authorities. I took the trouble to telephone six local authorities this morning to ask what they think. I also took the time to flag this report for and send it to every chief executive, every director of planning and every council in the country last night when I received it because I think it is important that they know what is going on. I want to point out that there were mixed feelings. The one thing that is clearly coming out this morning from local government planners is the importance of local knowledge and local understanding of the demographics, including among councillors. There is a partnership approach between strategic policy committees on planning and the directors. The Minister would know better than most, given the work of his Department, of the lack of performance of some local authorities versus others, and that this is driven more by some than by others.

I wish the Minister well. The report is 114 pages long and contains 84 action items. The Minister, under five pillars, has clearly set out the description of the actions, the objectives and the timescales, which is practical. It is up to parliamentarians and councillors to keep the pressure on and to see there is delivery. I remind the Minister that he has a very large bloc of Fine Gael councillors across the country, as do Fianna Fáil and Sinn Féin. Moreover, what happens in the Oireachtas does not necessarily permeate down through his organisation to the local authorities. There is a terrible record of councillors opposing social housing and Part 8 developments. I want the Minister to have a conversation, as part of his promotion of this action plan, with his party membership. I want him to ask his parliamentarians and councillors whether they are on board and committed to this Fine Gael-led Government and its policies. This is very important because, on the ground, county mangers will say - and I have observed - that some party councillors are not supportive of Traveller accommodation and emergency accommodation. For example, there is no emergency accommodation in the Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown area for people who must leave their homes due to domestic violence, which is a terrible indictment of Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council, one of the most prosperous local authorities in the country. It is worth making that point.

I do not know what the Minister is doing with regard to An Bord Pleanála. The latter is continuously failing in respect of its 18-week deadlines and I can think of one case in my own county where this has happened on three occasions. I rang this morning and was told the earliest we will have an outcome is at the end of August.Unless the Minister is going to tell us something different today, to make an appeal - or observation, as it likes to call it - to An Bord Pleanála will cost €50. I rang it this morning, although I was aware of it, but I wanted to check my facts. To object or make an observation or submission - against or for - someone might want to make contact with the local authority or An Bord Pleanála and it will cost €50. Has the Minister taken this on board? I want him to address the issue today because it is a really important measure. The board advises me that the cost is €50. Are citizens who have a right to engage in the planning process, as of today, expected to pay €50? It is the same in the case of critical infrastructure projects.

My next point takes it a little further. There were major shortcomings in An Bord Pleanála which, as the planning authority, is also within the remit of the Minister. If I am in County Kerry and a Deputy, local authority member or citizen and want to look at a file on An Bord Pleanála, I cannot view it online. Again, the board confirmed this to me this morning. I must travel to Marlborough Street in Dublin to request to see a paper file. The board needs to smarten up and make everything available online. On the other hand, in my planning authority, I have the right to walk into the council office to request and look at the file. Every citizen has the right to engage in the planning process. There are EU directives on environmental freedom of information. People cannot be required to come from County Kerry, County Mayo or Cork to Marlborough Street in Dublin to look at planning files. I want the Minister to address that issue. There is a real deficit in open and transparent planning. Perhaps the Minister intends to do something about it.

We know that students are under pressure in finding accommodation and that they are competing with others who want to rent accommodation. There are no clear, strong commitments other than objectives - not even objectives - to provide student accommodation. I want to know how the Minister will answer that question.

I spoke to the Minister last week about the Part V contributions. We know that there are many millions on deposit in some local authorities, including mine. I rang today to find out exactly how much and was told it would take some time but that I would receive a reply this afternoon. Last week I asked the Minister to write to every local authority chief executive to ask for a statement. I do not know if he has done it. I know that he is a busy man and do not expect him to jump to something I might suggest here, but I reiterate my question. He should ask them to do so. I will be able to furnish him with the information on Tuesday or Wednesday. However, as Minister, he should know it. He and his departmental officials should know about the substantial number of millions of euro sitting in accounts which has been collected under Part V for social and affordable housing. I want that money to be ring-fenced and used.

The Minister should not overlook the direct provision and construction of social houses by local authorities. They do it well and have a strong record in doing so. They deliver locally which creates employment in the construction industry. I still think there is a role for them in the direct provision and construction of social housing for the many thousands on local authority housing lists. I genuinely and sincerely wish the Minister well with this plan.