Brendan Smith Backs Housing for All, Urges Local Building
Brendan Smith spoke on 29 Sep 2021 about the Housing for All strategy, welcoming it and urging a focus on building new homes through local authorities rather than buying or leasing. He supported reuse of derelict town-centre properties, compulsory purchase orders and Department funding for land acquisitions, while calling for continued vacant-house restoration and infrastructure investment.
Main policy points
Brendan Smith welcomed Housing for All as the largest state-led building programme in Irish history and praised its clear message to local authorities to build houses, not buy or lease. He highlighted the strategy's emphasis on bringing vacant and derelict premises back into use to revive town and village centres and to use existing services.
Support for compulsory purchase and land funding
He noted that the Department will provide strong support for compulsory purchase orders of derelict sites and fund local authority purchases of suitable lands for development adjacent to towns and villages. This funding, he said, should address cash-flow problems that have previously hindered local authorities from buying land for housing.
Local delivery outcomes and VODES results
Brendan Smith cited local figures showing practical delivery: his council plans to build 500 houses over the coming years, and the VODES programme returned 29 houses to use in 2019, 70 in 2020 and a further 90 in the current year. He underlined the local employment benefits, noting 11 small contracting firms in his county engaged in local authority repair and building work.
Social housing concerns and tenant purchase scheme
He echoed colleagues on social solidarity and the right to quality homes, stressing that "we are not talking about building houses, we are talking about building homes." He criticised inadequate income eligibility limits in areas such as Cavan Monaghan and urged small amendments to the tenant purchase scheme so social welfare recipients with family support are not prevented from buying out their homes.
Infrastructure and priorities for smaller towns
Brendan Smith warned that infrastructure delays - citing slow Irish Water progress on sewerage schemes in Baddy Jims Duff and Virginia - have complicated and delayed housing provision, with further pressure in Kingscourt and Baylabor. He appealed to the ministers to ensure Irish Water is resourced, to sustain the VODES programme, and to give a clear message that local authorities should prioritise building houses in smaller towns and villages where demand and services exist.
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First of all, I welcome the Housing for All strategy and I compliment Minister Daryl O'Brien and his colleagues in bringing forward this particular programme, it is one that has the potential to tackle very significantly and very well the major housing crisis that affects this country at the present time. As we all know, it is the largest state-led building programme in Irish history. I welcome the fact that there is an emphasis and a clear message to local authorities as well that they need to build houses, not buy or lease houses going forward. A clear message of building new homes. I also welcome the aspect of the town centre. First, all of us know of dereliction, existing vacant premises and vacant homes that can be brought back to use. I welcome that in particular because that will have multi-benefits from the point of view of bringing life back to town centres, to village centres and using existing services. It is in those areas that there are demands for housing. The Minister has indicated through the Housing for All strategy that the Department will provide strong support for compulsory purchase orders of derelict sites to enable urban development. I understand from speaking to local authority officials as well that councils will be in a position to buy suitable lands for development adjacent to towns and villages. I welcome the fact as well because oftentimes local authorities have faced cash flow problems that the Department will fund such purchases and that is a welcomed measure as well that councils and local authorities can go out and know that they have the necessary resources to buy suitable lands. I welcome the fact in particular that there will be that strong support as well as I said earlier to remove derelict properties and to build or restore housing. The programme, as we know, is a multi-billion euro programme that has the potential to deliver and make housing to deal with the very serious problems that exist over the past number of years. Earlier, I listened to my colleagues, Deputies Jim O'Callaghan and Patrick O'Callaghan spoke about social solidarity and the right of people to have access to quality homes. We are not talking about building houses, we are talking about building homes. Many times in this chamber over the years I have spoken about the great social housing policies that we have had for decades, literally since the 1930s, where there was a great mix of people and different local authorities. Unfortunately, in recent years, we are losing that mix because of inadequate income eligibility limits. Minister O'Brien would have heard me outline in this House so often the totally unacceptable income eligibility limits in areas such as my own in Cavan Monaghan. I know that Deputy Jennifer O'Connor has spoken similarly as well. In regard to the tenant purchase scheme, small amendments are needed there. I instance the case of people on a social welfare payment who have the resources through family support or whatever, they are not allowed to buy out their homes, which is wrong. I saw the report that the Director of Housing in Cavan O'Brien gave to our local authority recently. The Council will build over the next number of years 500 houses. That is a very substantial development in a small rural county. It will actually mean more than doubling of the built house provision over the last five years. So that is very welcome. The VODES programme. Again, in 2019, Cavan brought back 29 houses to habitable use. In 2020, our local authority brought back 70 houses to habitable use that were vacant. This year, 90 houses will be restored to habitable use. That is put into very good use public funding. I sincerely hope that the Department will continue that policy. Because there are houses where services exist. There are houses where there is a demand for housing. We are again given a vote of confidence to many estates that suffered through derediction in the past. So I would appeal to Minister Burke and Minister O'Brien to ensure that the VODES programme, a good, strong, robust programme continues into the future. And I know the value of it for local small contractors as well. There are 11 small contracting firms in my own county engaged in local authority repair work and building work at the present time. And that is giving local employment as well. Minister, one other aspect of the Housing for All is the need for investment in infrastructure. I know that in my own county, Irish water has been far too slow to advance projects in relation to a major sewerage scheme in Baddy Jims Duff and in Virginia. That has complicated housing applications. It has delayed the provision of housing. We need to ensure that Irish water is resourced to eliminate any delays in that respect. And further problems will arise in Kingscourt and Baylabor areas where there is a huge demand for housing. So I just want to say as well Minister, I hope that a clear message can be given to local authorities again. That we build houses in our smaller towns and villages. Because all of us who represent those areas, there is the social infrastructure there. There is the educational facilities, there is the sporting facilities. And a dozen houses in smaller towns and villages can mean so much to those communities. And it would be a very good investment and there will be people wanting those houses. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. How do you say the homeless worker area area area area area area area area area area area area area area of
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