Micheál Carrigy (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I do not think I will be going to that nightclub tonight. Those days are well behind me.

I wish to raise an issue relating to Housing for All. I have spoken to the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage and to my local authority. I fully back the Government's plans, but there is an issue when it comes to affordable housing, that is, that under the matrix that is used as to what is called the affordability challenge and the criteria, there are upwards of 12 local authorities that will not be in a position to have an affordable housing scheme. It is not housing for all if a large number of counties cannot have such a scheme. The matrix that is employed uses CSO figures on the values of housing, not on the actual build cost of housing, which is wrong.I will give an example from my county, where there is only a handful of three-bed semi-detached houses with an average price of €150,000. To build them today would cost €220,000. No private building is going on. As a result of the use of the matrix we are not eligible. It might be said that there is a shared equity scheme but no developer is building houses so there are no houses for people to buy. It needs to be looked at. If we are going to have Housing for All, and I fully back it, this is an issue. All counties must be eligible. We are one of only 12.

As I am speaking about housing, I happened to meet Paddy Diver and his family along with several other families outside the front of Leinster House this morning. It is heart-wrenching to see the situation they are in. It is something that has not affected my area, thank God, but our hearts can only go out to the families when we meet them and see the situation they are in. One couple had been hoping to live in their garage when their house was being rebuilt. Today they found out this cannot happen and the whole lot has to be demolished. As I said, I spoke to Paddy and his family. He had the blocks out there and it is worthwhile going out to see them if they are still there. I was able to crumble a block in my hand, not with a hammer but with my hand. That is the situation they and thousands of other families are in. It is incumbent on us as a State to stand behind our citizens. I know much work is being done on it. There has to be 100% redress and no less. This is from meeting the families and crumbling a block in my hand.