Pat Casey (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I will be brief. I agree with much of what Senator Higgins has said. As we try to take more control of the housing market as a State, open market dwellings represent a source of affordable homes for people and they should not be excluded. Would those tabling this amendment to exclude this source of homes equally agree to it being applied to the social homes that the councils are currently buying for families? It is the very same principle. I would hope that the very same principles that the local authorities follow whereby they try to get value for money will be applied to this process. The processes by which they buy properties from the market are the same. However, it is all about accessing affordable houses in a housing crisis. I agree with the Senators. I would much prefer us to be dealing with local authority building first, the Part 5 housing and the cost rentals.However, while we are trying to get that up and running and while the State is trying to take back control of the housing market from the private sector, we still need to house families in affordable homes. The market can help that in the short term while we transition to the State taking a great deal more control of the housing market.