Kevin Humphreys (Labour) | Oireachtas source

It is with disappointment that I raise a matter relating to the housing crisis. I heard a contribution earlier in the Order of Business about 29 rapid-build social housing units to be built on a site off Mourne Road.

The site was originally provided by the Sisters of Mercy on condition that housing for the elderly would be built on it. There is a clear crisis in the supply of social housing and there is an onus on politicians and political parties to show leadership. There will always be some objections or issues raised about the rapid-build housing that is being developed in Dublin. I have proposed a number of sites quite close to my own home where I believe rapid-build housing should be developed in order to reduce the number of families that are currently living in hotel rooms. The challenge in areas where rapid-build homes are being built is to make sure that the families who move in are integrated into the local community. We must also ensure that adequate services are provided but, above all, the houses need to be built.

I find the number of people who are currently living in hotel rooms politically and morally unacceptable. It is for this reason that I have great difficulty with Senator Ardagh raising issues with regard to the 29 units. The issue that should be raised in this House is why those units have not been built already. We should be asking why we have waited so long for those units to be built, not trying to delay them further. We have heard anti-austerity politicians saying that they will lead the march to stop the builders going on site while arguing strongly in the other House that we should build more homes.That is doublespeak and we have also had doublespeak from Fianna Fáil here this morning. We need those homes built. There will never be a perfect site in the city for rapid-build homes. We must stop putting roadblocks in the way. We must work with communities to ensure they are delivered quickly. The Minister, Deputy Coveney, and his predecessor, Deputy Kelly, have allocated money to build the homes. The delivery is the problem. Senator Ardagh should stop putting roadblocks in the way of families getting homes. It is unacceptable to have raised this in the House. It is a local authority matter. We should assist local authorities and the Minister to ensure homes are built for families in hotel rooms, not put up roadblocks. The Senator was wrong to raise it here.