Housing crisis and Mountjoy Prison
Senator Ardagh raised the housing crisis, rising house prices and the need for proper finance policy, then moved to the stabbing in Mountjoy Prison and called for a review of the prison's future. After some procedural confusion, she also condemned the St. Petersburg attack.
I again raise in this House the housing crisis this country is currently facing. Since my election to Dublin City Council in 2014 and to this Chamber last year, this issue has been at the forefront of debate and has yet to be tackled in any meaningful way. Last weekend I read reports of a 4.3% increase in house prices for the first quarter of this year.
There is no way a person who is trying to buy a house can save as fast as house prices are rising. The Government has paid lip service to the notion of addressing this issue. There have been myriad reports and press conferences, but for a young person who is seeking to buy a house, the actions of the Minister and the Government are of little comfort. I have always been sceptical of the help-to-buy scheme and have voiced my opinion in the House that it simply amounts to a €50 million bonus for developers. The quarterly increase in house prices has affirmed my belief that the route the Government and the Minister are taking to increase supply and generate affordable homes is wrong and flawed. We must start to consider novel and inventive ways to increase supply, ranging from VAT and planning reforms to having more economical certification methods. It is a sad day when a generation with decent, well paid jobs are unable to own their own homes. Another concern for new home buyers is that they are paying too much for their mortgages than their European counterparts. I hope the Minister for Justice and Equality, Deputy Noonan, will take this concern on board and address it.
Comment on this
I apologise. I meant to say the Minister for Finance, Deputy Noonan, in reference to the Central Bank.
Comment on this
The second issue I wish to raise is the stabbing of a drug dealer in the face with a shiv - a makeshift knife - in Mountjoy Prison. I condemn this attack on Mr. Alan White. It might be time for us to contemplate opening a discussion on a replacement prison for Mountjoy Prison which in its current form is not fit for purpose. The Thornton Hall project was aborted during the economic downturn. I call on the Minister for Justice and Equality to set up a review group to consider a replacement prison for Mountjoy Prison or an upgrade of that facility.
I also condemn the attack in St. Petersburg, as well as the chemical attack in Syria. I commiserate with the families of the victims of both attacks. Violent extremism and breaches of international law must be confronted head-on. Loss of life on this scale is a crime against humanity. We cannot sit back and accept it.