Michelle Mulherin (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I want to challenge the populist rhetoric of Deputy Darragh O'Brien of Fianna Fáil at the weekend in the context of the housing situation. Personal attacks on the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government, Deputy Eoghan Murphy, or the Taoiseach do not get us anywhere. If anything, what was said at the weekend about these members of the Government displays ignorance on the part of the Deputy in question. It is easy to play the blame game in respect of housing. The issue of housing is very serious. The housing crisis does not just affect people from one socioeconomic background. Regardless of whether they are working, people face a challenge in terms of finding affordable houses they can either rent or purchase. More and more, it is becoming evident that there is no divide regarding this problem. The idea that one has to be from a certain socioeconomic background in order to find solutions or to have the will to serve the people is utter nonsense. However, it seems to fit into a certain populist rhetoric.

It would be better if Deputy Darragh O'Brien sought to hold local authorities to account. For example, this year alone, the capital budget for the construction of house has risen from €307 million to €638 million. On the other hand, very little social housing is being built. The lack of construction of social housing is impacting on the entire market. As a result of it, people who should be in social housing are trying to find private rented accommodation. The latter is placing increased pressure on that sector. Until 2010, 6,000 social houses were being built each year. The question that arises in this regard relates to what local authorities are doing with the funding to which I refer. Fianna Fáil controls a significant number of local authorities. Is property being acquired for the construction of social housing? Have the appropriate personnel been hired in order that local authorities might have the relevant expertise available to them to allow them to build houses? Questions have to be asked at this stage. The Government is not going to build these houses. From a statutory point of view, as housing authorities, councils have an obligation to build houses. Why are they not doing so? Why are they not being held to account by councillors from other parties who have been very critical of the Government regarding the lack of social housing. We have gone beyond the point whereby this matter is being treated as a political football. There are solutions available but the must be implemented. The local authorities need to play their part and Deputy Darragh O'Brien needs to begin with the representatives from his party who are members of those authorities.