I move:
To delete all words after "Dáil Éireann" and substitute the following:
"commends the action taken by the Minister for the Environment and Local Government to promote sustainable development through infrastructure provision (including securing record levels of housing output), environmental protection and policies to advance balanced regional development and social inclusion and, in particular, welcomes and endorses:
in relation to housing
–the comprehensive range of initiatives which has been taken by the Government and which has
–maximised and expedited housing supply; secured house price moderation and balance in the housing market,
–addressed social and affordable housing need and
–improved the institutional arrangements and facilitated the delivery of housing related infrastructure;
–the record levels of new housing output which have been achieved in each year since the Government took office;
–the achievement of the highest level of per capita housing output in the EU;
–the trebling of resources allocated to housing since the Government took office, with a total provision for housing of over £1.1 billion in 2001;
–the expanded four year multi-annual local authority housing programme which has been introduced, together with a greatly expanded voluntary housing programme, and the significantly increased financial resources provided by the Government for these programmes under the national development plan;
–the Government's integrated Homelessness strategy, which has provided for substantially increased resources, additional accommodation and improved inter-agency co-operation;
–the completion last year of the comprehensive report by the Government's Commission on the Private Rented Residential Sector, the recommendations of which are now being implemented with a view to achieving expanded supply and ensuring the long-term viability of the sector;
in relation to the environment
–the high priority given by Government to environmental protection and, in this context, notes that Ireland has implemented 96% of environment-related EU Directives;
–the clear policy leadership which has been provided by Changing Our Ways, published in September 1998, towards the long overdue modernisation of waste management practice, based on the internationally accepted hierarchy of prevention, minimisation, reuse-recycle, energy recovery and safe disposal, and the Government's firm intention to bring the waste management planning process to an early and satisfactory conclusion;
–the publication of a comprehensive and ambitious National Climate Change Strategy in November 2000, which will ensure that Ireland meets its obligations under the Kyoto Protocol, and the intensive action already under way to ensure effective implementation of the Strategy;
–the value of the ground-breaking consultation process which led to the policy statement on GMOs and the environment, published in October 1999, and the major strengthening of safety and transparency provisions in the EU regulatory framework, adopted by the European Council and Parliament in February 2001, and, in going forward, endorses the importance of placing primary emphasis on precaution, well grounded in scientific risk assessment and management;
–the intensified anti-litter measures introduced since 1997, including
–support for National Spring Clean;
–increased enforcement, including, since 1997, a threefold increase in the number of litter wardens, a fourfold increase in the number of litter prosecutions and an increase in the number of on-the-spot fines from less than 1,000 to over 16,500, and
–greater education-awareness measures,
culminating in the litter action plan published in February 2001 in response to the work of the National Anti-Litter Forum; and notes that the levy on plastic bags will be provided for in the forthcoming Waste Management (Amendment) Bill;
in relation to road safety
–the putting in place of the first ever Government strategy on Road Safety and notes that–
–the end-2000 interim targets under the strategy have been achieved in full, with the road fatality rate per million population falling to 112 by end-1999, compared to an end-2000 target of 116 and accident reduction schemes having been completed at 268 locations by end-2000 compared to a target of 240, and
–considerable progress has been made towards meeting the overall targets of the strategy, with road deaths falling by 13% between 1997 and 1999, relative to the strategy target of a 20% minimum reduction by end 2002, and serious injuries decreasing in the same period by more than 15%, relative to the 20% reduction target by end-2002;
–the forthcoming Road Traffic Bill which provides the legal basis for the introduction of a system of penalty points, to track infringements of driving behaviour of those who commit these offences on a recurring basis;
in relation to traffic management
–the £14 billion strategy for a comprehensive and efficient transport system for the Greater Dublin Area, outlined in the recently published Dublin Transportation Initiative Strategy Update, "A Platform for Change";
–the investment of £1.6 billion under the National Development Plan, 2000-06, for public transport and traffic management in Dublin, including £200 million in respect of traffic management grants;
–the provision of £650 million for a regional transport programme under the National Development Plan;
–the traffic management grants for Cork, Galway, Limerick and Waterford, which were introduced by the Minister for the Environment and Local Government in 2000, with a further allocation of £1.75 million for this purpose in 2001;
–the Communications (Regulation) Bill being finalised by the Minister for Public Enterprise, which will include proposals to modernise legislation in relation to road openings by telecommunications operators, with appropriate and updated powers for road authorities to regulate road openings in the public interest, and the commitment of the Minister for the Environment and Local Government to also consider the need for wider legislative updating to deal with this important matter;
in relation to local government renewal
–the major programme of local government renewal which has yielded–
–constitutional recognition for local government,
–an enhanced role for elected members through the Strategic Policy Committees,
–significantly increased local authority funding which, in addition to massive increases for capital investment, is providing local authorities with over 63% more for discretionary spending in 2001 compared to 1997,
–modernised financial systems,
–strengthened management structures,
–a wider role for local government through County Development Boards, and
–measures to improve efficiencies and customer services,
in relation to electoral reform
–the comprehensive proposals in the Electoral (Amendment) Bill, 2000, for reform of electoral law generally, including provisions in relation to electronic voting, electronic vote counting and the inclusion of photographs and logos on ballot papers;
in relation to planning
–the enactment of the Planning and Development Act, 2000, which provides for the most radical overhaul ever of the modern Irish planning system, including–
–improved arrangements for public participation in the planning process,
–provisions which will ensure an element of public gain from rezoning decisions, through empowering local authorities to acquire, at ‘existing use' prices, up to 20% of residential land for social and affordable housing, and
–measures to meaningfully address, for the first time ever, the vexed issue of unfinished estates,
–the increased staffing resources being made available for local authority planning departments and An Bord Pleanála; and,
in relation to the National Spatial Strategy
–the fact that the national spatial strategy will be completed on time, by the end of 2001, and notes the extensive consultation and participation arrangements related to the development of the strategy which the Minister for the Environment and Local Government has put in place.".
I am pleased to open the Government's response to the motion. The rank hypocrisy implied by it is very hard to take. It implies that the new red and green axis was the prime mover in the infrastructural, economic and social development of the country. In reality, it is most likely to hold up, in every way possible, badly needed local authority housing, key roads and water services projects, planning permissions for major housing developments and so on. The list is practically endless.
One would imagine, from the motion in its name, that the Labour Party had bequeathed to the Government an idyllic situation. The implication is that our infrastructure was fully geared to meet the needs of a modern economy; that there was an orderly housing market with supply and demand finely balanced; that our levels of environmental protection were the envy of the modern world and that no foreseeable difficulty had emerged in relation to waste management.
We all know, including those behind the motion, that the truth is different. It was left to the Government to take action to increase invest ment in infrastructure right across the board. The unparalleled levels of funding available under the national development plan are redressing our infrastructural deficit as rapidly as capacity constraints in the construction industry allow. The housing market is coming back into balance thanks to the measures taken by the Government. Our record on environmental protection includes action on waste management and climate change to mention but two of the many effective and progressive initiatives taken since the Government took office.
The Government has not failed to deliver on any of its commitments. The Labour Party, however, knows about failure, having "been there, but not done that".
In today's newspaper it is reported that a Green Party councillor is strongly critical of Dublin Corporation's housing strategy because it involves zoning additional land. Criticism of the Government on the issue of house prices and meeting social housing need is heavily ironic from a party whose approach to the provision of housing and infrastructure, so obviously needed by our growing population, is to "build absolutely nothing anywhere near anyone".
The Government has never shirked its responsibilities in relation to housing. Whereas the previous rainbow Government had scarcely lifted a finger, despite the ominous trends already established, we immediately set about tackling the issue. From day one we put in place a comprehensive range of measures to maximise and expedite housing supply, to secure house price moderation and to meet the increased need for social and affordable housing. Those measures have yielded positive results and will continue to do so.
Last year we again saw record housing output with almost 50,000 new houses being constructed. In spite of continuing high demand and lower interest rates, the effects of this increased output are being reflected in moderating house price trends. The most recent house price figures available provide strong evidence of a moderation in the rate of house price increase, particularly new house prices, with annual increases in the 10% to 14% range, compared to a peak of 42% in early 1998. It is widely accepted that the Government's actions have been a critical factor in achieving house price moderation. There is also firm evidence that first-time buyers are gaining an increasing share of the new housing market in particular.
Conscious of the increasing level of social housing need, which our colleagues opposite took no effective action to allay when they had the opportunity to do so, the Government responded by introducing, for the first time, multi-annual programming for the local authority and voluntary housing programmes instead of the old year-on year-off system. We have increased funding for housing programmes threefold over what was provided in 1997 by the previous Government. This clearly reflects the priority we afford to meeting social housing needs.
Increased funding is only part of the equation. In 1997 the number of local authority housing starts was 3,500. It has now been virtually doubled with latitude to front load programmes as much as possible. The multi-annual approach adopted by the Government will allow for greater forward planning and efficiencies of scale in delivering the 41,500 additional local authority houses to be started under the national development plan. The four year programme of 25,000 starts, is pitched at the maximum level that can be delivered.
One of the problems I have encountered in expanding the local authority housing programme is the degree of local opposition to individual schemes. That opposition is often orchestrated by members of the parties which have put their names to the motion. It is ironic to hear the Labour Party and the Green Party being concerned about meeting social housing need. I can find no evidence of a strong push from Labour Party councillors for more local authority housing in their areas. I challenge them on that issue. The absence of support where it is most needed, at local level, only serves to show the hypocrisy of the motion.
Let there be no doubt that the Government is fully committed to tackling the problem of homelessness. We have launched an integrated strategy to ensure a comprehensive response from all the statutory and voluntary agencies providing services for the homeless. I am confident that the direct involvement of local authorities and health boards in a more collaborative manner will strengthen the overall response to homelessness and secure the appropriate solutions which voluntary bodies have identified as not being made or being deficient. The action plan for the Dublin area has been completed and adopted. The measures in the plan are being rolled out, with specific targets to ensure the level of homelessness in Dublin is reduced.
Substantial current and capital funding has been made available to local authorities to ensure the accommodation measures in the strategy are implemented. Additional funding will also be available from health boards to fund the necessary care and welfare services. I am well aware of the importance of the private rented sector and its potential in meeting our housing needs. Actions taken by the Government include specific incentives for the provision of rented accommodation in urban renewal areas, as well as for students. We have doubled the income tax relief in respect of rent paid by tenants and introduced a new "rent a room" scheme to encourage home owners to provide additional accommodation.
In 1999, I took the initiative to establish a commission on the private rented residential sector in order to address the issues of security of tenure, dispute resolution mechanisms, the regulatory regime for the sector and how best to secure increased supply of accommodation. I announced proposals for major reforms in the sector on 5 January last following careful consideration of the recommendations of the commission. It is disingenuous of the Deputies opposite to suggest that legislation on landlord and tenant issues can be introduced out of a hat. As anyone familiar with the subject will know, landlord and tenant issues are subject to a highly complex and integrated legislative code which falls within the remit of the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform. In collaboration with that Department, we are committed to completing this legislative programme as quickly as possible and the necessary staffing resources have been committed.
The Government has rightly proceeded with implementation of measures to boost the supply of private rented accommodation which will be of considerable benefit to existing and prospective tenants. The motion tabled by the Labour and Green Parties implies that we should have delayed the introduction of these initiatives. I see no merit in that approach given the extent of housing need.
By next autumn we will establish a private residential tenancies board on a non-statutory basis. This board will primarily deal with disputes between landlords and tenants and will also provide a research, advice and information service in this important sector.
The priority afforded by the Government to the housing area and the direction and force of Government policies are widely acknowledged as correct. We will continue to give priority to ensuring higher housing output to meet the needs of our growing population and particularly the needs of the most vulnerable groups in society.
In the matter of road safety, this is the first Government to prepare and adopt a national road safety strategy. The Government has led the heightened political priority now being given to road safety. We have set quantified and clearly stated objectives and deliberately made ourselves more accountable than any previous Government for progressing the road safety agenda. The strategy sets, as its primary target, the reduction of road fatalities by a minimum of 20% by the year 2000, relative to 1997, with a similar reduction in serious injuries. The annual toll of road deaths has been reduced by over 12% in 1999 and again last year. When the proponents of the motion were in government there was no national strategy to reduce road fatalities, which were rising rather than being reduced. The interim target of the strategy regarding road deaths was to reduce Ireland's rate of road fatalities below 116 per million population. We have already exceeded this target. Nevertheless, there is no acceptable level of road fatalities. We must continue to strive for reduced fatalities and fewer serious injuries on our roads.
The computer systems needed to support a national driver file, with penalty points functionality, will be in place this year. I intend that the legislation dealing with this matter will be published shortly and that it will be processed urgently by the Oireachtas to tie in with the new IT system.
Our road safety strategy is ambitious and hard-edged and it has set demanding and quantified targets for achievement within its five year period. We have sponsored this strategy and we have made ourselves more accountable to progress on road safety activities than any of our predecessors. Accordingly, we have made greater progress.
For these and many other reasons which, because of the time available, I am not able to adduce, I am happy to commend the Government's amendment to the House.