Victor Boyhan (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I wish to raise two issues relating to housing. While we had a debate on housing yesterday, I wish to bring up two issues I did not have the opportunity to bring up then as I was chairing that session.

The first relates to the rural housing guidelines, with which we have a serious issue. Over the past five or six years, I have consistently written to various Ministers and Ministers of State about rural housing guidelines. I do not need to lecture anyone in this House who represents rural communities on the problem we have. The Government needs to respond to the challenges and difficulties experienced by those seeking to build rural housing projects and one-off housing in the countryside.Ireland's rural housing policy planning guidelines are from 2005 and we are still expected to be working to them. They are no longer fit for purpose. The restrictive policies for rural housing are a serious impediment for those wanting to return to rural communities, build up the communities from which they came and access affordable housing. This should be afforded to them. These are people who are land owners in rural communities. We see GAA clubs, schools and parish life collapsing throughout rural communities because of the lack of options for people to build houses at their own expense on their own land. Surely we need policy for this.

I understand this is a contentious and thorny issue for the Green Party. The Taoiseach asked the Minister of State, Deputy O'Donnell to write to me, which he did. I received a detailed letter from him last Friday evening setting out that the draft is in place. Let us get the draft rural housing guidelines out to a period of public consultation. This should be the next step so that people can engage on it. I fully accept that any new rural housing guidelines must be balanced and environmentally sensitive. They must address the social concerns of communities and their housing needs. The economic and social benefits for families who wish to build their own homes for themselves on their own land is critical. I particularly want to make reference to Galway, Kildare, Roscommon and Wexford which are the four counties I visited last week. I engaged with elected representatives who all share the same concern.

I also want to raise the issue of Sam and Odette Doran, apartment owners involved in the "Not our Fault" campaign. They meet on a weekly basis outside Leinster House when it is in session. Their story has been covered in local newspapers this morning. They were told by the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage that €2.5 billion was put aside for a compensation package. It is important that we have a discussion on this. They are outside Leinster House today and will be here until 2 p.m. I intend to go out to meet them. I know a number of Members on all sides of the House have engaged with them. We have to do something for people living somewhere that is crumbling through no fault of their own. We have to support the people who are in these houses.