Maria Byrne (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the Minister, Deputy Murphy, to the House. He visited Limerick not too long ago and we had a very positive day involving the opening of the new housing development on Lord Edward Street. He met many people who worked there in the past and some new residents. Limerick was very lucky to have been in receipt of funding for social housing when other local authorities were not able to build. However, we would like to receive more funding if possible. I understand that the Minister must share the budget between local authorities based on applications.

I am concerned that some of the many applications submitted by local authorities propose construction on very small green spaces. These very small sites may be the only green space in the area. Although it is lovely to think that extra houses would be provided there, such development would remove a green area of which existing residents have the use. I know of an application to build a house on a plot of approximately 10 ft. by 12 ft. in between three houses and a tree. I have said to the local authority that I am unsure whether it should target such sites. There are plenty of vacant land banks which are very suitable for development. I fully support the building of social housing as quickly as possible.

I have represented Hyde Road for 17 years. There are quite a few privately owned derelict houses on the road but the local authority has stated it has little power to do anything with them. Houses with rubbish dumped in them may be next door to lovely houses but nothing can be done because they are privately owned. We must find a way to get around that and be able to access such derelict houses. If such houses have been derelict for a long period there should be a way to bring them back into the ownership of the local authority and renovate them for families to move into because families previously lived in these areas. Such issues must be addressed. The local authority stated its hands are tied because the houses are privately owned. However, it should be possible to empower the local authority to step in if the house has been derelict for a long period. Perhaps it has such power but is unaware of it or unwilling to use it. I acknowledge that a change of legislation may be required in that regard.

Although I welcome the Rebuilding Ireland programme and the new housing loan scheme, the rates involved should be reconsidered. I know a young single mother who went back to college and then got a job at a starting salary of approximately €25,000. She would only qualify for a loan of €101,000. One would not get a house in Limerick nor many other places for €101,000. Perhaps the rates could be reconsidered in that context. That young girl is determined to get a local authority house and have the option of buying it in the future or to try to buy under the affordable housing scheme. The Minister indicated that the affordable housing scheme will be reopening very shortly and that he will soon make an announcement in that regard. I welcome that because it was successful but not enough houses were available under the scheme. I understand that there were restrictions to do with funding but those schemes worked very effectively in certain areas and that should be considered.I will leave the Minister with one last point. I use Limerick just as an example, but on our main streets the majority of businesses do not have anybody living overhead. Could incentives be brought in? I am aware a trial was done to incentivise businesses to renovate the premises above their shops to turn the spaces into rental units and these could be rented or even lived in by the owners. People, however, found the schemes too restrictive. By the time the premises was renovated and let, it was just not worthwhile. I believe it is a common complaint in all large urban areas that there are very few people living within the city centre. In European cities, one will find people living over business premises. They have their business downstairs and upstairs is rented. We need to look seriously at this area to see how we can encourage businesses to develop living above the shop.

Overall, I compliment the Minister and the Department on the number of people who have been taken out of rough sleeping and hostel-type accommodation. I have seen first-hand, and in my own experience, the number of people who were recently in receipt of local authority housing and have been accommodated. This is very welcome. I also pay tribute to the staff who work in the accommodation and in the emergency centres. During winter, near to where I live, I was aware of a hostel for families at one end and emergency accommodation at the other. While there are issues sometimes, people were able to go in and get a bed for the night. It was very welcome that people were not rough sleeping.

A group in Limerick will be building modular and wooden-framed houses under a regeneration scheme. I invite the Minister to come down and look at what they are proposing. The idea came from the United States of America. The group has come back here and will team up with the regeneration agency in Limerick with regard to the fast supply of houses. It would be well worth the Minister's while to visit the next time he is in Limerick.