Trevor Ó Clochartaigh (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Tá mé ag seasamh inniu agus mé ag tacú leis an mBille atá tugtha chun cinn ag an Seanadóir Norris agus lena bhfuair sé cuidiú ón Teachta McGuinness agus daoine eile lena réiteach.

I am disappointed with the Minister of State's response. We have heard many different contributions today. Generally people have said that they agree in principle that there is a major crisis and people have to be helped and so on. It becomes a little tiresome, especially from the Minister of State and the Government Senators, when they give us those types of sentiments and then the Minister turns around and gives us a litany of excuses as to why these people cannot be helped rather than coming in here in a constructive way to say that he agrees with the Bill and while there are issues with it, let us work together and see how they can be improved, and giving his own suggestions.

There were very few suggestions from the Minister of State on how to improve this Bill which is very disappointing at a time when we realise there is such a crisis. If we have the wherewithal in the Department of Finance to devise the animal that is NAMA, that can organise a fire sale of bargain basement proportions for vulture funds to come in and buy up properties in the State, surely we have the wherewithal and expertise to improve Senator Norris's Bill to create what would be a more humane type of institution that would help people in mortgage distress and would really follow the spirit of this Bill. I do not believe that the Minister of State cannot come with more positive proposals at this stage.

When people come to write the history books in years to come, Rebuilding Ireland, which the Leader mentioned earlier, will probably go down as one of the greatest works of fiction of the 21st century. We can look at the situation in Galway at the moment. In 2016, the previous Minister, Deputy Coveney, who has been lauded as having done great work in this area, told us that there was a target of 1,126 social housing units which were supposed to be built in Galway city and county in 2017. How many have we got? Fourteen. How many will we get next year? Fifty five, according to the targets. That is in Galway city and county where we have over 4,000 people on social housing lists.

Senators tell us that it is a supply issue which of course it is. However, the problem with a supply issue is that the Fine Gael-Labour Party Government, and previous Fianna Fáil Governments, have all left the supply to the private sector. We need State intervention. We need a State building programme that will build social and affordable houses for people who need them and take the pressure off the private rented market which will see the exorbitant rents being charged for private rented accommodation brought down.If we build social and affordable houses for people who need them, it will take the pressure off the private rented market, the exorbitant rents that are being charged to people in private rented accommodation will decrease and it will stop the practice of people being housed in hotels and paid for by the local authorities. There is a supply issue and the Government is not taking any real action to address it.

I agree with the Leader's comment earlier that a considerable amount of money is being spent on HAP, rent supplement and so on. Approximately €870,000 is being spent over a six month timeframe by Galway City Council to house 24 families in emergency accommodation. What level of mortgage would that support? Why can that money not be spent on construction of social and affordable housing rather than be squandered in that way? That cannot be done because of Government policy, not only of this Government but of previous Governments. Sinn Féin has brought forward legislation in this area. For example, we have called for the 15 derelict sites in Galway to be bought by the local authorities for the purpose of social and affordable housing provision. That would take some of the pressure off the supply side.

It is important consideration is given to the intervention suggested by Senator Norris to address of the mortgage crisis. I have been in the repossessions court in Galway and have seen the stress people are under and the David and Goliath struggles that are going on in the courts. In fairness, some of the county registrars are standing up to the banks. Many people are severely stressed as a result of having to attend repossession hearings in the courts for months on end. The banks have no problem bringing in solicitors and barristers and paying them huge amounts of money but most of the people in mortgage arrears do not have two pennies to rub together. They cannot afford that type of support. In Galway, the repossessions court is no bigger than a shoe box such that most of the people against whom repossession cases have been taken cannot get into the room to listen to their cases being dealt with. It is a disgrace.

That Fianna Fáil is rubbing its hands about this crisis is appalling.