Senator Bacik renews call for Debate on Government Housing Policy

Order of Business

Wednesday, 12 October 2011

Senator Ivana Bacik: I believe all Members share the concerns expressed by Senator Darragh O'Brien on the reports of potential job losses at Aviva. As Senator O'Brien is aware, the Labour Party group already has devoted specific Private Members' Business time to the plight of the workers at TalkTalk in Waterford, during which debate there was much talk of other projected job losses, including those at Aviva, and of what the Government can do in circumstances in which large-scale collective redundancies are faced. It is a highly disturbing situation and at that time, Labour Party Members called for consideration of a review of the notice period that companies must give, which also would be useful in the context of the Aviva reports.

I renew the call on the Leader for a debate on Government housing policy. Yesterday, Members, myself included, called for a debate in the context of the Keane report on protection for those in difficulty with mortgages. Such a debate in this House would be timely and the Dáil will debate this issue for at least one day and potentially two days next week. However, it would be useful to have a broader debate on the Keane report and on housing policy more generally, in which I would include the issue of the provision of rent supplement. There are reports in today's newspapers about the nature of rent supplement and how it is being considered in the comprehensive spending review in the context of the social protection budget. However, it is a matter of concern when one notes that the €500 million spent on rent supplement effectively amounts to a subsidy to private landlords. The effect is that the State is subsidising 50% of private rented accommodation, which clearly distorts the market and keeps rents high, unsustainably so in many cases. A question arises as to whether this is an effective use of Government funding to protect the most vulnerable. Consequently, it would be worth having a debate in this House on the broader issue of housing policy. It should not simply be on those who require protection because they are in difficulties with mortgages, although this is a critical issue, but it should be on the manner in which State spending is targeted and whether it could be targeted better.

I compliment the Carers Association on its briefing today. It made a pre-budget submission and a highly compelling case for maintaining levels of carer's allowance. All Members recognise that family caring, much of which is unpaid, constitutes an enormous saving to the Exchequer.