Mary Fitzpatrick (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the encouraging news earlier this week that the young girl and her carer who were viciously attacked in the north inner city on Parnell Square over a week ago are making a good recovery. I want to wish them well and wish their families well. I hope they make a full recovery soon and that the young girl is at home for Santa visiting this Christmas. I absolutely and utterly condemn the opportunistic politicking by Opposition TDs on this issue. Their exploitation of the north inner city for the sole purpose of promoting their own political ambitions is disgusting and should be rejected by every right-minded person.

I welcome the news that the Government is in the process of considering increasing funding to the Land Development Agency. The reports are that the Government is considering increasing the funding by a further €3 billion to increase the delivery of homes by an additional 6,000 over the next two to three years. Yesterday I was out in Shanganagh, a Land Development Agency site, where almost 600 homes are being developed. One of the initiatives this Government has taken to increase the supply and affordability of homes is to use State-owned lands to reduce the cost and increase the delivery. In Shanganagh, there are almost 600 homes being delivered. This is public land being used to deliver public housing with a mixture of private, social, affordable purchase and affordable cost rental. That is to be welcomed. All in this House should support the Government's initiative to increase the funding to the Land Development Agency and increase the delivery of social and affordable homes on public lands.

I would also raise another critical issue. I take no joy in doing this but I am a former member of Dublin City Council. For years, I have been raising the issue of Dublin City Council's mismanagement of planning and housing delivery in the city and particularly in the north inner city. Finally, The Irish Timescaught up with me last weekend and reported on the overconcentration of emergency accommodation in the north inner city. It is an issue I put on the agenda of the joint committee on housing two years ago. It is an issue which the committee completely and unanimously agreed with me on. Dublin City Council has presided over and funded the ghettoisation of parts of our city. It has to be called out on it and the Minister needs to hold the local authority to account on this issue. A new CEO is to be appointed. That CEO must give a commitment to undo that ghettoisation, to increase and accelerate the regeneration projects in the north inner city and to deliver affordable housing.

I hope the Cathaoirleach will indulge me for one moment. It is my very proud honour to welcome the boys and girls from Rutland National School, directly from the north inner city. They are just coming into the Gallery. These are among the finest and brightest boys and girls – they can all stand up – from Dublin's north inner city. They are here with their teacher. It was my great pleasure to meet their student council. My God, what an effective student council they have.These are great boys and girls. They are a great example to the city and the country. They are very welcome here today. Thanks a million. Gabhaim buíochas.