Jennifer Murnane O'Connor (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Local authorities will be the key to turning the land into homes by working with other agencies to identify where affordable homes should be built. Local authorities would then take out a loan from the Housing Finance Agency to build the units, with a further average €40,000 to €50,000 subsidy per home directly from the Exchequer.

I have raised concerns about the housing assistance payment many times with the Minister. Today he spoke about rent pressure zones and I have massive issues with them. They are only in certain areas. Carlow does not qualify for a rent pressure zone. The Minister needs to examine all local authorities. It is unfair that we have neighbouring counties, such as Wicklow, that qualify as rent pressure zones. It is unfair on people living in the area that they are not given this opportunity. We also need to look at stability.

I am aware women's refuges are not under the remit of the Minister and they are more a matter for Tusla and the Department of Health but the Minister's Department needs to step in and examine what we are doing to help women's refuges. We are crying out for women's refuges in Carlow. On several occasions, I have made attempts to get funding for them. They used to fall within the ambit of the Department with responsibility for housing but were moved a few years ago. They need to go back to that Department. Every town in Ireland should have a women's refuge. It is very hard when I have women and families coming to me but I have nowhere to send them because Carlow does not have a women's refuge. The nearest is in Kilkenny but it is always full and Waterford is the next nearest.

People are living longer and the Minister spoke about quality of life. We need to consider housing for people with disabilities and older people. We need to consider putting more money into extensions for these people. Recently, much of my time has been spent trying to get bathroom adaptation grants, window and doors. We need to look more at these issues because we need to put more funding into them. Often, we take measures that seem to be solutions but they do not work. We need to speak about what is being built in Ireland and address the issue of building units that serve only one type of family. It is causing a massive issue in the system and it should be addressed properly. We need brave ideas and action on this.

I believe the Minister has made progress. He has definitely bought and built houses but while he has gone from one stage to another there are people in between who do not make local authority housing lists and are trying to buy houses. There are also homeless people with no security and people such as the man who died in Carlow last week in a derelict building because it was the only place he could go. That is unacceptable. We need to ensure we do not lose another life. It is important that the Minister addresses this. I thank the Minister for coming to the House.