Michael McDowell (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I return to the topic raised by Senator Ruane, namely, homelessness and the housing crisis that exists in this country. It is about time that we realised a few basic facts. First, there is no prospect of resolving the housing crisis unless the supply of social and affordable housing is increased. Second, that supply will only increase if the Government takes direct action. Third, the market will not solve this problem if left to itself in the short, medium or long term. Fourth, the Government has had plenty of time to consider all of the underlying trends and issues such as market and land availability issues and has not done its duty by the people and addressed this issue properly. It is very evident to anybody who travels around this city that the cranes are on the skylines. Hotels are being built and great projects are in progress but social and affordable housing is not being built to any appreciable extent in Dublin. It is impossible to believe that the Customs House as a Department of State, and I am not going to personalise this, can possibly have its hands on the levers of power or be resourcing local authorities adequately when pitiful results concerning the construction of social housing in particular are trickling in every year. The former Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government was appointed with responsibility for this and made some efforts to deal with the issue of rising rents, which is a symptom of the shortage. He then became Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade. The current Minister has had a number of years to deal with this. Every so often, we hear of initiatives which, to use the phrase thought up by the spin masters in Government Buildings, are game changers. The first thing to say is that this is not a game. It is deadly serious.We are told there is to be a new agency. There should be a new agency and it should take direct action but where is the legislation for it? Will we see it this year, next year or the year after? Does anybody take this issue seriously? Above all, does the Department and the Government intend doing anything or does it just intend to continue spinning and spinning and spinning, appearing to be concerned while doing nothing?