Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 18 January 2018
8. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform his plans to prioritise particular projects in the context of the capital review programme; the extent to which he expects to address issues in health, housing or other sensitive areas in this context; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2344/18]
View answerMy question relates to the extent to which the Minister might find it possible, in the context of the capital review programme, to identify the most important items of infrastructure with a view to benefiting the economy.
I thank the Deputy for his question. I recognise his ongoing commitment to dealing with this issue, the work he has done in the Oireachtas and the parliamentary party to draw attention to the issue of housing supply and point to the terrible social costs experienced by people who are under pressure in their accommodation or in not being able to find accommodation. I am aware that he wants us to do more quickly and I am doing my best to do so. I just wanted to express my appreciation of his efforts.
The Deputy is aware that we have increased capital expenditure to meet housing needs. A recent example is the further €100 million made available before Christmas on foot of the work done by the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government, Deputy Eoghan Murphy, to ensure we could invest in local housing programmes such as home hubs and to respond to the social housing needs identified by local authorities. A traditional challenge has been local authorities not drawing down the available funding to meet housing needs. I am pleased to say, however, that last year all of the funding made available for housing was drawn by local authorities. The Minister, Deputy Eoghan Murphy, approached me towards the end of 2017 to say he believed there was an opportunity to invest more to ensure the programmes to which we had committed would happen. On that basis, we brought forward the Supplementary Estimate of €100 million for the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government. I believe we are making progress. The Deputy and I are both aware that we want to make more progress and address the challenges. I will continue to do my best, with the Minister, Deputy Eoghan Murphy, to do that and take on board the warnings and advice the Deputy offers on the issue.
I thank the Minister. I acknowledge his understanding of the matter, with that of the Minister, Deputy Eoghan Murphy, and other Members of the House. Given the extensive challenge presented by the sector, does the Minister believe that it might be possible in the short term to make an intervention or to assist the Minister, Deputy Eoghan Murphy, in making an intervention that would have a dramatic impact on those most seriously affected by the housing crisis? People are living in hotels, guest houses and the open air. Children are at risk as a result of circumstances beyond their control and it appears the country.
You can never recover a childhood. Families with young children are living in hotel accommodation. They include children who are attending primary and secondary school. Our commitment to give them the housing and accommodation they need is genuine. That is the reason we made additional funds available towards the end of 2017 to tackle this and other matters.
The Deputy made reference to a dramatic intervention. I have dealt with this issue on a constituency level for many years and the experience has given me an appreciation of the difficulties caused, especially when one arrives at a home in the constituency to see all of the generations living under the same roof. Would a sudden intervention make a big difference? I am concerned that it might not. The way to make a difference is the way we have tackled other problems in the State to try to improve week after week and month after month where we stand. There is urgency and we will continue to support the Minister, Deputy Eoghan Murphy, through anything we can do to tackle what is the burning issue in the country.
