# You can watch the launch of the Housing Committee report live



## Brendan Burgess (17 Jun 2016)

at this link.

http://www.oireachtas.ie/parliament/watchlisten/watchlive/committeeroom1/

It is scheduled to be published at 11 am this morning. 

http://www.oireachtas.ie/parliament/mediazone/pressreleases/2016/name-38459-en.html


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## Brendan Burgess (17 Jun 2016)

John Curran TD  Chairman : 

70-80 recommendations over 8 different areas

50,000 social housing units to be constructed or acquired over next 5 years. 

Preventing people becoming homeless a priority 

Rent certainty 

rent supplement should be brought to market value
Lack of infrastructure in Dublin - should be fast tracked to facilitate 50,000 houses 

Vacant site levy should be increased and brought 

*Mortgage distress *
A moratorium on home repossessions while waiting for new guidelines from Programme for Government brought in. 

*Vacant properties - over 200,000 vacant units *
A full audit by each council should be implemented. 

*Should look at off balance sheet models to fund building of houses*
other proposals such as Credit Unions


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## Brendan Burgess (17 Jun 2016)

Micheal Lehane : What are the key recommendations - the minimum recommendations 

REply: prevention of people losing their homes. Rent certainty, distressed mortgages 

Journo: The local authorities were not spending the money allocated for housing? 

O'Broin: If there is a problem getting the funding of €1.5 billion - 

*There are 23 Priority Recommendations *

Labour TD - preventing repossessions 

Fergus O'Dowd      : landlords who ruthlessly exploit the 4 month rule. Vacant possession should never be a condition of sale. 

Barry Cowen: Set up a housing procurement agency - fund whatever way is needed - credit unions; pension funds, 

The other blockage is planning.   The system was not designed during a housing crisis


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## Brendan Burgess (17 Jun 2016)

Kitty Holland : Is it ambitious enough? 

Eoin O'Broin: We are proposing building 10,000 houses a year for 5 years which is more than has ever been built in the history of the state. 

Mary Butler: We could have gone for any figure but there is no point in being unrealistic 

Journo: the councils are not drawing down their funds for traveler accommodation. Should they be sanctioned?


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