Malcolm Byrne (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

We need to consider who this debate is about. It is not about ideological positions or anything else. It is about individuals and families who want to be able to rent their own home and, crucially, to aspire to own their own home. I know that is something about which the Minister has been passionate for as long as I have known him. We may disagree on aspects of the legislation but I know that passion is, in many ways, the Minister's driving force in politics. That is a difference between some political parties. Part of the reason I am a member of Fianna Fáil is that we strongly support the aspiration of individuals to own a home. Everything we will do in government is to realise that aspiration. Senator Moynihan was correct that this legislation will not, on its own, achieve that. A number of measures will be required and I want to make a number of suggestions in that regard.

When the measures under this Bill are enacted, along with the introduction of the Land Development Agency and all the other reforms, I ask that simple explanations be made available. I am thinking about the renters who are watching and want to buy their own home. All that such people want to know, whether they are living in Gorey, Swords or west Clare, is how they can access the necessary resources to be able to afford their own home.

It is welcome that local authorities are empowered to deliver affordable homes on their own lands under the legislation. However, there is a big difference between empowerment and delivery. It will be essential that project management teams are put in place in local authorities. I am in favour of league tables to force local authorities to prove how they are performing but we need to set delivery targets because I am confident that some local authorities will excel while others will not.

The problem is a lack of supply and this legislation is about getting the supply of houses out there as quickly as possible. I agree with Senator Higgins about strategic housing developments. That initiative never led to fast-track planning. All it did was discount the possibilities, at local level, of democratic input in the political process and, in most cases, we ended up with judicial reviews, with planning lawyers benefiting.I agree with getting rid of the strategic housing developments, SHDs.

On a supply issue, there is a disdain for developers and those involved in the construction industry. If we do not start to support those in the construction industry, we will not be able to address supply. Senator Warfield asked why the houses were not being built. During the period of Covid, construction was closed down for most of the time. It is interesting that some of those who were shouting most loudly for zero Covid to have the construction sites closed down are now asking where is all the building and where are the homes going. Unless one has a vibrant construction sector, one cannot have home building.

It is important to listen to the construction sector and the small developers right around the country. That means we look in addition at reducing the costs of construction and that means an alignment with a number of the State agencies. Senator Garvey was correct on the need to align with Irish Water. Clearly, many of Irish Water's practices are not allowing for quick connection. The costs of connecting into Irish Water are far too high. In many of our rural villages, it is impossible to even get planning permission because the infrastructure is not in place. That will need to be addressed.

We need to speed up the planning process. I support the calls by Deputy Cowen that there has to be a limit on the length of time it takes An Bord Pleanála to make a decision. This is not about the rights or wrongs of the decision but that the decisions before An Bord Pleanála are taking far too long.

I do not believe that anybody has a monopoly on wisdom when it comes to how we will build more housing. It is a crisis. It is something that is important to every one of us in this House but I believe there are some people out there who simply want this to fail. They would take more pleasure in the Government not being able to deliver homes than in success with this happening. Within Fianna Fáil, we have had huge debates. I compliment my colleague, Senator Fitzpatrick, who has chaired our own party committee. We have spent hours and the Minister and I have not agreed on every issue. It is important that we have this debate to get this right but they only way we will do it is by all working together to get the best Bill. Ultimately, it is to be able to get affordable rents and, most importantly, to be able to allow individuals and families to aspire to own their own homes.