I welcome the opportunity to speak on the issue of social housing. There have been dramatic developments recently in terms of housing policy, housing standards, location of housing and proposals for integration of social housing in the framework of overall housing. For far too long we have been operating almost in a vacuum in terms of social housing. Local authorities built houses as they saw fit, acquiring land for large estates in Tallaght, Clondalkin, Jobstown, Blanchardstown, Ballymun and the inner city. Huge complexes were created in a vacuum without establishing amenities or taking into account employment prospects. While schools were built in these areas they had no shopping centre, hospital or third level institution.
These facilities are being built at present — for example, in Tallaght there is a fantastic shopping centre, a fine new regional college and a hospital is under construction. However, these amenities were not provided soon enough and many difficulties arose which could have been avoided by integrated planning. I hope the practice of building huge housing estates without amenities is a thing of the past. Recent legislation provides that in future local authority housing complexes shall not exceed 75 units, which is very desirable.
The civic charter established in 1991 by the incoming Dublin Corporation specifically stated that for the duration of that council there would be no green field development by the local authority. Instead the local authority would develop the large number of derelict sites that existed, taking into account infill areas that were crying out for housing. The ideas was to rejuvenate the city centre by a combination of private housing and social housing, and by and large that is what has been done in the last five years. There are many cranes throughout Dublin city at present in the construction of apartments and housing developments. That rejuvenation of the city centre is a welcome development and I hope it will continue.
In the past a simplistic approach was taken to social housing, with the local authorities fulfilling their responsibilities by providing housing for those in need. Today there is a much greater mix of housing, which is extremely welcome. We need to fine tune our social housing programme and ascertain which areas can be expanded. Local authorities are operating a substantial house construction programme. It is welcome that the number of local authority houses built has increased from 3,500 last year to 3,900 this year with a 27 per cent increase in the capital funding allocation. During the life of the present Government I estimate that in Dublin alone approximately 2,500 units of accommodation will be built by the local authorities, apart from other areas of housing provision, including those provided by the voluntary housing organisations. Such construction will take place within the boundaries of the corporation area, not on green field sites outside that area. That is a welcome development as social housing must be in conjunction with housing construction undertaken by the corporation.
I welcome the involvement of voluntary agencies in the provision of public housing albeit on a smaller scale than the corporation's involvement. Hundreds of houses are being built in the city and around the country through the operation of voluntary housing organisations. Such voluntary organisations, which operate schemes funded by local authorities, undertake housing construction, draw up letting agreements and set up management structures. The package provided by such voluntary agencies is welcome.
Shared ownership housing schemes are excellent because they make it easier for people to simultaneously rent and purchase accommodation. I hope local authorities will grant mortgages at a cheaper rate under that scheme.
The purchase of private houses is perhaps the most problematic but the main growth area of the social housing programme presently. It is growing proportionately strongest. I estimate that of the 600 units that will be provided by Dublin local authorities, 200 or 250 will be allocated for private housing purchased from the private sector in private residential areas. That represents a substantial increase when compared to previous practice. Infant building sites in local authority areas are decreasing, whether used by the private sector to build apartments or by the public sector. While we maintain a policy of building new housing units within the city boundaries, increasingly we will have to purchase private housing from the private arena. That is desirable, beneficial and key to a good social mix and a proper integrated social housing programme.
As local councillors or politicians, we must give a lead in this area. Too often communities are alarmed that the right type of people may not be housed in their area, that the people housed there may bring drugs into their community and residents will have no control over the matter. Such communities are concerned that if a local authority buys too many houses on the one street or in the one area, it may devalue the property of existing residents' or attract undesirable neighbours. We must reassure people that local authorities operate the scheme in a fair fashion and that there will be proper consultation with local residents, which was not the case in the past. The absence of proper consultation will instil fear among communities. The extent to which such fears may be fuelled was evident in Blanchardstown recently when the Eastern Health Board attempted to establish a satellite clinic. As consultations did not take place the residents were up in arms because they were afraid that the community would be inundated with drugs. That scheme is desirable but must be operated fairly.
The development and operation of a tenant purchase scheme on a permanent basis is desirable. It is welcome that tenants can purchase the homes in which they reside and that they no longer have to purchase another house. That practice will give rise to a more settled community. Tenants will purchase the houses in which they reside, hopefully live there for the rest of their lives and pass it on to their children. Rather than waiting for the development of other schemes, it is welcome that the tenant purchase scheme is now operating on a permanent basis.
The maximum allocation of 30 per cent of the market value of a house in which a tenant has resided for ten or more years under that scheme should be increased. A higher percentage of the market value of a house should be deducted from the selling price of a house in which a tenant has resided for a longer period. In such cases the maximum allocation should be increased from 30 per cent to 50 per cent of the market value of the house over a period of years.
The management of local authority housing is provided under the 1992 housing legislation. Every local authority is obliged to publish a management policy. The purpose of the estate management policy is to focus on tenant participation in the management of flat complexes or housing estates, similar to the work undertaken by management boards of private apartment developments. We have neglected this key area in the past and I am disappointed it is still being neglected. I would like the Minister to take the matter up with my local authority and I am aware she launched an estate management scheme on the south side of the city recently. However, we are dragging our feet in meeting this statutory requirement.
New complexes are being developed as are refurbished complexes and the minimum we should expect is that tenants should be versed on estate management prior to being allocated a premises in such a complex. New local authority housing should not be provided without tenants meeting representatives of the local authority concerned and being informed of the proper operation of an estate management scheme. I do not understand why we house tenants in new schemes, such as that in Sherrif Street, without satisfying that requirement. Hundreds of people have been housed there without an estate management scheme being put in place. We have demolished flat complexes because of mismanagement. Sherrif Street is not an old scheme, it was constructed from 1956 onwards and is not one of the oldest in the city by any means. Part of the problem stemmed from matters getting out of hand there and magnificent new houses have been built there.
We have a system of vetting new tenants, not to keep people out but to ensure nobody involved in drugs is allowed into the flats or houses. We do not have a scheme of estate management and despite pressure, Dublin Corporation is not ready to implement one. I am not satisfied that that should be the case. The new 32 unit housing scheme in Seán McDermott Street is without an estate management scheme and there should be one. One of our priorities must be to get a scheme of estate management in all local authority complexes and I want to see the Minister pressurise the local authorities to a greater degree in that regard because I am firmly convinced they are dragging their feet on it.
We have made some progress on private rented accommodation in recent years. The Minister for Finance introduced tax relief of £500 to tenants in private rented accommodation in the last budget. However, we still have a serious problem in central Dublin from Ranelagh and Rathmines on the south side, to the North Circular Road and I am sure we have the same problem in every town. There is not compulsory registration of landlords and that is the key difficulty. The local authority register is a voluntary one and there is no compulsion on the landlord to be registered or licensed in terms of quality or standards of accommodation provided. A rent book is required but many landlords breach this legal requirement and when it is put to them, they are often in the process of evicting without due legal process.
There are many problems in this area and the only way to deal with them is to devolve the function of registration and licensing of private rented accommodation to the local authority where it would become part of the overall social housing programme. This has not been included in the local authority remit and it should be part of social housing policy. We could then ensure everybody was registered and licensed on a statutory basis just as every publican must apply each year for a new licence to operate. The licensing or registration fee could be used to fund the staff required to maintain the register, licensing, health and fire standards, ensure rent books are being provided and proper legal process is adhered to in dealings with tenants in private rented accommodation. Enormous progress has been made on social housing policy. Attitudes have changed and the Department of the Environment has encouraged this in pressing for change. I congratulate the Minister and the Department on their efforts. I want them to go a step further to ensure the local authorities put statutory estate management schemes in place and ensure private rented accommodation is included in the overall social housing programme.