Aidan Davitt (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I am speaking today about housing, which has been quite popular over the past while. We have all discussed and agreed that we are in the middle of a crisis. Nobody could deny that. However, there is a more simplistic solution that could be used. It was pioneered during the Covid crisis and it worked extremely well. Developers and builders were asked to roll out mortuaries and additions to hospitals. There was a plethora of different building works at that stage. Work started in a matter of weeks. At this stage this should be treated as a crisis and treated in the same way that we treated the Covid crisis. We need to bring in similar legislation. I know there has been a lot of emergency legislation recently. However, this has been a proven process where building and construction have worked. I know the Land Development Agency, LDA, has identified different sites. At present we have quite a number of sites adjoining areas of existing social housing. It is time to look at emergency legislation, speak to existing contractors and start building houses in some of these areas. The tie-up with the planning and the planning process is to the detriment of 90% of goodwill in relation to building at present. If we use the model used during Covid, we will have quicker and better wins. I do not think any party in this House would have a problem with it.