Mary Fitzpatrick (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I extend my sympathies to the family of Jennifer Poole. It is a terrible reminder to all of us of the increase in domestic violence during the pandemic. I urge anybody living in fear or under threat to contact the Garda immediately.

As we commence this new term in the Seanad, I want to turn to another casualty of Covid, which is the housing crisis. It has not gone away and has been compounded by the pandemic. Estimates are that the shutdown of construction would cost somewhere in the region of 700 to 800 homes a year and the figure could be as high as 10,000 by the end of the year.That could extend the housing crisis for a further three years. Everyone in the Oireachtas must use this term to do all we can to address this crisis of affordability and supply. I urge every Senator to engage on two game-changing Bills, those being, the affordable housing Bill and the Land Development Agency Bill. Under the latter, the Land Development Agency will work with local authorities, approved housing bodies, AHBs, and NGOs to deliver social and affordable homes. The affordable housing Bill has the potential to double the number of social and affordable homes that are delivered in private developments and give local authorities the power to deliver affordable homes for purchase and rent. I urge every Senator to engage with and support these Bills.

We must go further, though. We must ensure that every local authority completes a housing needs assessment urgently and sets targets for the next three, five and ten years for the delivery of affordable homes for purchase and rent. The Departments of Public Expenditure and Reform and Housing, Local Government and Heritage must accelerate the approval process and reduce it to six months for every application they receive from local authorities for social and affordable homes.

I will finish on my next point. The Cathaoirleach is being patient, but it is important. The Minister for Finance must introduce a tax on the vacant properties that the Leader and I know are in Dublin. Given that there is a housing crisis, it is unacceptable that there are vacant residential properties. I urge the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to use some of the moneys that will not be used in the serviced site fund to give a grant to convert vacant properties in rural towns and urban centres to residential use. Will he also update the rural housing guidelines? They have not been updated since Fianna Fáil was last in power. Now that we have a Fianna Fáil Minister with responsibility for housing, it would be appropriate that the rural housing guidelines be updated.