Mary Fitzpatrick (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

The purpose of Senator Warfield's amendment is to replace the words "counteract undue segregation in housing between persons of different social backgrounds" with "promote sustainable mixed income communities". I agree with two points that have been made. The existing language makes me uncomfortable but we are all uncomfortable with it on foot of the historical situation. The legacy of the past is that there has been segregated housing; it was the tradition. With this Bill, we are trying to change entirely the provision of housing, particularly affordable housing. We are trying to have the State lead in the provision of affordable homes to purchase and to rent. If we can use the land in State ownership and increase the supply and provision of affordable homes to purchase and to rent, this legislation will deliver what Senator Warfield is looking to include, that is, not just the promotion but also the delivery of sustainable, mixed-income communities.That is what affordable purchase and affordable cost rental will do. If we remove the language and say we are not going to require local authorities to avoid or counteract undue segregation, we are letting them off the hook and telling them to continue what they were doing. It would mean that in the case of mixed income and mixed tenure developments, they would be able to pursue segregation and have a certain cohort of either tenants or occupiers in a segregated setting. I do not think we want that. We all want to maximise the use of the land and the provision of affordable homes by the State for rent and purchase for sustainable, mixed tenure and mixed income communities. For that reason, we will not support the amendment.