National Housing Development Survey: Motion

National Housing Development Survey: Motion

Senator Ivana Bacik: I welcome the Minister of State. It is also welcome that we have had a full debate on the important topic of so-called ghost estates. Mr. David McWilliams gets credit as the man who first coined the phrase “ghost estate” in 2006, although the Minister of State has been quoted many times in commenting on the negative impact of such estates.

Most Senators mentioned the national housing development survey which is referred to in the Government's amendment to the motion. The figures have been well rehearsed. As the Minister of State mentioned, it is clear that a substantial number of the developments surveyed are complete and occupied. While we all welcome this, some 33,000 dwellings are complete or nearly complete but still remain vacant. This is a concern. There is also a concern regarding the nearly 10,000 dwellings at various early stages of construction. One wonders how likely it is that they will be occupied. It is these dwellings which are addressed in the Labour Party motion which is meant to achieve a resolution in the interests of consumers, those awaiting housing and those who cannot afford to buy a house, even in the downturn. It is in their interests that the motion is putting it up to the Government in a bid to seek answers as to what it proposes should be done about these unoccupied dwellings.

On reading the findings of the survey, I was deeply concerned by the fact that planning permission had been granted for a further estimated 58,000 dwellings, on which work has not yet commenced. While they are not the subject of the motion, they point to something on which the Minister of State has commented previously and a specialist group in Maynooth reported. They show that there are two sides to the downturn. Not only was there a lack of regulation of banking and a free-for-fall in giving out loans, the cheap credit to which Senator O'Malley referred, there was also a lack of regulation of planning permissions. Far too many were given. One report suggests that, using a proper objective estimate, in County Leitrim 590 new houses might have been needed between 2006 and 2009 to accommodate population growth, yet nearly 3,000 were built. This begs the question of whether there was any regulation or forward planning.

As Senator O'Malley stated, we are where we are. The Labour Party accepts the Minister of State's good will in the matter and we framed the motion in an attempt to achieve a constructive solution, not to score political points. We call on the Government to step up its efforts to address these issues and are heartened to note that the expert group has already commenced its meetings. As the Minister of State mentioned, the second meeting was held today. He hopes the manual will be published as a draft consultation document in the next week or so before the final draft is published in the new year. In the interests of those about whose cases my colleagues have spoken so eloquently, we must ensure the expert group meets its deadlines.

Senator Buttimer called on the Government to withdraw its amendment. It could do so, as the motion is not confrontational. However, we will not put it to a vote. In a sense, we are working in a composite way to try to achieve a solution to the serious problem of unoccupied dwellings. The motion suggests the National Asset Management Agency should be involved in that resolution, although it is represented on the expert group.

To be constructive, I wish to examine the three parts of the motion, the first of which refers to the need for a mechanism to transfer unoccupied dwellings to local authorities to provide social and affordable housing. I am glad the Minister of State described the proposal in respect of a long-term leasing initiative in this context. We accept there is not a quick fix, but there are many unoccupied units and many thousands of homeless families. Many of these units are not located where people might wish to live and there might not be an immediate homelessness problem, but we should see progress on this front in the near future. I am not only referring to the report of the expert group but also to the provision of housing units for needy families.

We need to consider matching unoccupied hotels with social purposes. While this is beyond the scope of the motion, many unoccupied hotels would make excellent nursing homes at a time when more nursing home places are required. We should, therefore, consider matching unoccupied properties with social purposes. That is at the heart of the motion.

The final two parts of the motion should not be overlooked. While dwellings in many estates are complete, the estates lack completed roads, paths and open spaces. This issue was highlighted in the survey and is of concern to the many families and individuals living in these estates. In Dublin, for example, of 155 open spaces identified in building plans, only 80 are complete and an alarming 67 have been substantially untouched. One can only imagine what it is like to live in these complexes, but it is a serious matter for the individuals concerned. There is no clarity as to who will pay to complete unfinished estates. I hope there will be clarity in the process described by the Minister of State.

We all recognise the serious problems presented by ghost estates. We all want to see a solution to match the need for social and affordable housing. I hope the Minister of State and his colleague, the Minister of State, Deputy Finneran, will make this a priority. I am glad progress is being made and hope the motion will assist in exerting pressure on the Government——

Deputy Ciarán Cuffe: As always.

Senator Ivana Bacik: ——to achieve the outcome we all want to see. In a spirit of consensus and working together, we will not put the motion to a vote. We are grateful to the Minister of State for outlining the progress made to date and to all those Members who contributed to the debate.