This has nothing to do with the serviced sites fund.

My reading of section 8 is that it relates to the ability of local authorities to assist individual applicants to purchase a dwelling. This is about enabling applicants for housing to purchase an affordable home. This is about enabling applicants for housing to purchase an affordable home. It is about local authorities being able to assist them financially, through a mortgage or some other financial means, to acquire an affordable home. In terms of the type of home will be, as long as it qualifies as being an affor…

This is a very important point as it goes to the core of what we are trying to do. Senator Garvey has either deliberately misled people who are watching this debate-----

I am sorry. My apologies. It is Senator Gavan. That was unintentional. I do apologise. Senator Gavan started by talking about people who do not qualify for social housing because their income is above the income threshold for social housing. Those are the people who this legislation is seeking to help. We are seeking to provide people who earn in excess of the social housing income threshold with support to own and secure an affordable home. To be fair to Senator Gavan, he was not present the other day. I do not ac…

On the issue of shared equity, it would be helpful if the Minister of State confirmed the position for the House. The objective of the State in providing the shared equity scheme is to financially support people so they will be able to afford to purchase their own home. Applicants will be eligible only if they are unable to secure a mortgage. All applicants will have to have realised their full loan potential. It will only be in that instance and when they require additional financial support that they will be able…

Affordable cost rental is important. This is the first time ever in the history of our State that we will provide affordable cost rental accommodation for our citizens. It will be for people who are earning just above the social income threshold but who do not qualify for social housing and are struggling to secure affordable homes to rent. There is a historical model of renting in Ireland. We talk about investors and all of that narrative is what dominates the media at the moment. The reality, however, is the majo…

That is unfair.

I move: That Seanad Éireann: believes that: - a secure home is a basic human right; - Covid-19 highlights the essential protection a secure home provides; - far too many of our citizens are homeless; - essential middle-income workers are struggling to secure an affordable home; - young people should expect to secure an affordable home; - the State has responsibility to protect citizens right to a home; acknowledges: - the Government’s historic housing and homeless prevention budget; - the Government’s radical and a…

I thank the Minister of State for his attendance and his very positive response to this debate. I thank my party for supporting this motion and its very kind words. I do not think I worked that hard at all but I will take the compliments. It is a real honour for all of us to serve in this House and it is a real honour for me to serve and to be part of the Fianna Fáil Party group within the Seanad. The reason I believe my colleagues were so committed to supporting this motion and this debate is not because they thin…

I apologise. I will restrict my comments to Senator Warfield. He was here, for which I give him credit, and put forward amendments.

My attention was drawn to that and I apologise. I was unaware.

I was about to commend the Senator on that.

I was going to commend the Senator on that.

Please do not talk down my time.

I apologise. I really was not aware. Senator Warfield is correct. He was here and did put forward amendments. Those amendments were debated and the Minister of State, my party and other parties engaged in those debates. When the time came to vote on the actual Bill, the Opposition called a vote and Sinn Féin would not appoint tellers so its Members would not have to vote. That is what happened. It is on the record of this House. It exposes the cynical, divisive and destructive politics practised by Sinn Féin. We wi…

It has been a long and hard year for all of us. There has been little good news. However, I acknowledge the good news that has been the vaccination programme. More than 50% of the population have received their first dose of a vaccine and 300,000 doses were administered last week. There is an expectation that a further 2 million doses will be administered by the end of June. All of that has happened despite problems with supply and delivery of the vaccine. Huge tribute is due to everybody who has been involved in t…

In terms of this amendment it is important we do not confuse ourselves, or anyone watching, as to what is being proposed. The Member from Sinn Féin has spoken and articulated the challenge facing working people in this city in trying to buy their own home. It is a terrible reality and one which this Government is legislating to change. The primary objective of the legislation, as Members know, is to have the State take the lead in the provision of affordable housing and enable local authorities and approved housing…

I stated facts.

I would like the Minister of State to respond. I understand Senator Higgins's legitimate concern. We are all concerned that the price of housing is unaffordable and that is what this legislation is about. The Government is changing the laws so we can deliver affordable homes. The Government will use all of the State's resources, including land and assets, to deliver affordable homes. That is the purpose of the legislation. The amendment proposed by Sinn Féin seeks to delete market dwellings from this legislation. T…

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