Jerry Buttimer (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The Minister is correct in his analysis. We must increase supply and we must build. Housing will not be solved by gimmicks like rolling billboards or by motions of no confidence in the Minister. That is not good politics. We must do what the Minister has already outlined. What is important is what the Minister spoke about already in his remarks. I refer to policy change. All of us in our constituencies and offices deal with people every day and every week. I have come to the conclusion, rightly or wrongly, but I think I am right, that we need to examine the cost base.

Let us take Cork City Council as an example. Family sizes are smaller and nearly half of the housing list is made up of single people. It is imperative, therefore, that we now recognise, as the Minister has done, that we know there was not enough housing. As the Minister has started to do, we must put in place housing at prices that are affordable so that people can buy them. The cost base is too high and we must examine that, whether relates to the price of land, building materials or the whole issue of the market itself. That issue is not going away.

An analysis of the people who come into our offices, in many cases, and of the different housing reports shows that the average traditional couple, who used to buy or were able to buy, are now either renting or are in the social housing category. That was never the case before. We now recognise, and the Minister has been a strong champion of this, the need to have affordability and to allow people to have the option to buy through the help to buy scheme.That is critical. The help to buy scheme is one of the most important pieces of housing infrastructure we have put in place. I appeal to the Minister to extend it now, rather than wait for the next budget. We need to end the uncertainty about which we are hearing from back channels. The scheme is working and important for those who are trying to buy.

Affordability is an issue we need to tackle. It may not be popular to say it, but the Central Bank rules are very strict, possibly too strict. I know that we cannot go back to the past, but if we look at the limits the bank imposes on borrowers, we can see that it is fundamentally wrong. The Minister mentioned the housing market, stabilisation and possible declines in house prices, but we must always try to ensure prices are such that people can buy in order that we can see an increase in the numbers of those involved in the private housing sector. We need a strong private housing sector, regardless of whether it involves renters, first-time buyers or traditional couples who want to be able to afford to buy.

I do not think we can shy away any longer from the issue of the cost base in terms of the cost of land, VAT, affordability and the role of councils. The lack of private housing being constructed in the city of Cork is a source of worry. If we look at the 550 units being constructed, 400 are social housing units. Just 150 are private, which is an imbalance.

I commend the Minister on the work he is doing. He is very proactive and willing to listen. He engages on and understands the complexity of the matter. We need to see a streamlining of Rebuilding Ireland home loans. A report published this week showed that one in five loans had been approved by some councils, including Cork City Council and Cork County Council. I am not sure why that is the case. I know that the city and county councils have very good directors of housing services. I welcome the decision made by Cork City Council this week on Kinloch on the north side of the city. If we go through my constituency, we will see that houses are being constructed. If one were to listen to some Members opposite, one would swear that there was no digger, crane or cement to be found and no blocks being laid anywhere. The Minister has our support. Let us make sure we learn from the mistakes made by Fianna Fáil that affected the people it was supposed to represent. At least, we are trying to do it with honesty and integrity.