Mary Fitzpatrick (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I offer my condolences to the family and friends of Dr. Seán McCarthy. I also congratulate Deputy Ivana Bacik. I wish her well in her new role. She will be missed in the Seanad, but I am sure she will make an enormous contribution to the Dáil.

I am delighted also to co-sponsor the Bill being proposed by Senator Chambers to make harassment a crime. The Bill is worthy of support right across the House and I hope all Senators will support it.

As this is probably the last Order of Business before the recess, I want to take this moment to thank the Cathaoirleach, as well as Martin Groves, all of the staff in the Seanad, and the staff of the Oireachtas joint committees. As Fianna Fáil’s Seanad spokesperson for housing, we have had a very busy year. I commend all staff on their professionalism, patience and for keeping us all on track.

The housing crisis was the number one issue when this Government was formed. It continues to be. Since the pandemic hit, obviously the housing crisis has been compounded. However, in the year we have made significant changes in terms of protecting renters from evictions and rent increases, capping rent increases at inflation, limiting the upfront payments, and adding benefits and supports to student renters. Most importantly, for those who want to own their own home, the Affordable Housing Bill 2021 passed in the Dáil last week, 101 votes to eight, following a year of trenchant and spurious opposition. In that Affordable Housing Bill 2021, the State will take the role of providing people the opportunity to own their own affordable home. Local authorities will be empowered to build affordable homes to purchase and to rent. We have introduced for the first time the affordable cost rental model. We are doubling the amount of social and affordable housing on every new private development. On top of that, we are providing financial support by way of a five-year interest-free loan for would-be homeowners. All of this is welcome. That is why the Bill got cross-party support.

We have one final, significant piece of legislation to do before the recess as a Seanad, and that is the Land Development Agency Bill 2021. That legislation will allow the State strategically to manage its land to deliver social and affordable homes - 100% public housing on public land. I ask Senators from all parties and none to do the right thing on that legislation and give the State the power to use the land to deliver homes for our people. If Senators are serious about wanting to address the housing crisis in terms of both supply and affordability, they should back this proposal to allow us to use the State-owned lands to deliver homes for our people.