Noel Ahern
Ceist:5 Mr. N. Ahern asked the Minister for the Environment the plans, if any, he has to make maximum use of our private housing stock and to maintain it in the best possible order. [10089/95]
Ceisteanna — Questions. Oral Answers. - Private Housing Stock.
There are no plans to introduce new measures in relation to the utilisation or maintenance of the private housing stock.
The utilisation and maintenance of private housing is a matter for the owners. In the case of private rented dwellings, owners are obliged to ensure that the dwellings comply with certain minimum standards specified in the Housing (Standards for Rented Houses) Regulations, 1993.
I am disappointed the Minister does not have plans in this regard. I had hoped she would announce a new house improvement grants scheme. The scheme introduced some years ago may have been too generous because a large outstanding bill remained when it was cancelled. Many pre-war houses throughout the country are in need of substantial improvement and their owners must be encouraged and assisted in doing that. We have all heard stories about people making improvements to their holiday homes, for example, but we could establish a scheme geared towards the refurbishment of houses that are used as main residences. Is there any hope that such a scheme will be established next year? With regard to making the best possible use of existing private houses, in my constituency approximately 5,000 houses were added to the housing stock in 1990. Housing density is continually decreasing. Many roads service only 50 houses and the majority are three and four bedroomed houses in which only one person lives. Will the Minister agree it is in all our interests to make maximum use of the housing stock?
Is that not adequate for the time being?
I have spoken to some elderly people who say they would like to move from a four bedroomed to a two bedroomed house but in many cases the price——
The Deputy is embarking upon a speech.
Will the Minister consider——
The Deputy has adequately made his point.
——introducing a scheme to abolish stamp duty for people over the age of 65 who are buying or selling a house?
The Deputy is injecting quite a lot of new matter now. Let us hear the Minister of State.
This would ensure maximum use of the housing stock.
It would seem the Deputy does not know when to stop.
In regard to the home improvement grant, I am surprised at the Deputy because I made it clear on a number of occasions that the Government does not have any intention to introduce such a scheme. As the Deputy is aware, the previous scheme was immensely costly both in terms of funding and in relation to its effectiveness, and it was abolished under a Fianna Fáil Government. That scheme was not appropriately targeted to obtain the necessary result, which is generally recognised. We are keeping the matter under review but there are not plans to reintroduce a similar scheme.
We would all like to see more effective use of the private housing stock but it is for the owners of houses to determine what they will do. There should be no element of corecion in regard to people who may want to remain in their homes. The question of stamp duty is not within my area of responsibility; the Deputy will have to table a question to another Minister in that regard. We must recognise that the State does not have any control over the private housing sector when it comes to individuals deciding how they wish to occupy their houses and to what capacity.
There is no question of people being coerced into moving house but it is in all our interests to make maximum use of the housing stock, public or private, and to keep it in the best possible order. Some of the Minister of State's party colleagues gave me the impression that there might be a move in this direction and that is why I expressed surprise. I ask the Minister of State to consider the stamp duty aspect. I realise it is not her responsibility——
That is the responsibility of another Minister, Deputy.
I understand that but I am asking the Minister of State to consider the matter. Obviously she would have more influence with her ministerial colleagues than I and——
The Deputy should put down a separate question.
Will the Minister undertake to examine the matter and, make a recommendation on it?
I would be sympathetic towards encouraging better use of the private housing sector and I will carefully examine any reasonable proposal in that regard, but the Deputy should understand my limitations with regard to my area of responsibility.
Will the Minister accept that a strong case could be made for putting a limited scheme in place? In some of the towns and villages along the western seaboard, local authorities are building new houses while older houses are becoming derelict because of the deaths of their owners, families moving, etc. The houses being built by the local authorities on the outskirts of these towns are inferior. Will the Minister give consideration to a proposal allowing local authorities to buy and refurbish older houses? They could then be rented to tenants who would previously have been housed in newly constructed local authority houses?
It is within the power of local authorities to buy buildings for housing purposes and I am concerned to ensure that run down areas are rejuvenated. Indeed, we are so committed to that principle that I recently launched the village renewal programme which will specifically target villages around the country and enable communities, through grant-aid, to enhance and develop their villages. I also recently launched the review of the plan for social housing which contains a firm commitment to the principle of infill housing.
That was our plan.
Local authorities are aware that there is an ongoing commitment to developing a balanced approach in relation to housing so that we do not have suburban sprawl. That shift in approach is continuing and I hope it will accelerate during my time in office.