Mary Fitzpatrick (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I raise the issue of housing. As we all know, we are coming out of a decade of undersupply of housing, so I specifically welcome the latest report on housing supply and delivery that indicates the highest number of housing commencements on record in more than a decade. There have been more than 30,223 new housing commencements which are to be welcomed. These are new homes being built, and Housing for All is determined to deliver a mix of social, affordable and private housing through using State-owned lands. To deliver housing, it is very important that not only do the commencements get approved and the housing is started but that they are delivered upon. There are many pressure points with inflation and other resources but, with that in mind, I very much want to encourage all politicians from all parties on both sides of the House to stop objecting to housing, to stop putting barriers in the way of housing delivery, and to stop encouraging objections and barriers to the granting of planning permissions for housing and the actual commencement of construction of it.Every new home that is built, whether it is private, social or affordable, is a home for somebody. There are more than 10,000 people homeless in this country. On top of that, more than 30,000 Ukrainians have arrived and Europe is at war. I urge those who object to housing to please stop and think of the human impact their objections have and allow commencements to proceed. We also need to increase the number of commencements.

On a secondary issue, the Intreo office on the Navan Road, which is known locally as "the labour", has been closed since April. Its closure was unannounced and notices were erected. Many people do their transactions online with Intreo and the Department of Social Protection. However, the surrounding area, which has a population of more than 10,000, has large elderly and disabled communities. I ask the Deputy Leader to write to the Minister of State with responsibility for the Office of Public Works, OPW, and the Minister for Social Protection to ask for a firm date for the reopening of the Intreo office on the Navan Road in Dublin 7.