On the basis of their behaviour so far, the softly, softly approach being adopted by Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government Simon Coveney towards land-owning religious orders makes sense.
Desperate to acquire building land for the construction of social and affordable housing, Mr Coveney has spoken of “working in partnership” with the religious orders and has invited them to meet with him next week.
No mention was made of the failure by some orders to pay their share of the cost of redress schemes for people who had been physically and sexually abused in industrial schools and elsewhere.
Eighteen orders had agreed to transfer €480million in cash and property to State compensation schemes following industrial schools disclosures and the Ryan report in 2009. But less than one-quarter of that amount changed hands, even as the last government insisted they were liable for half of the final €1.5 billion redress bill.
One of the difficulties involved a collapse in property prices. Land and buildings identified for transfer to the State had lost a great deal of their value or were deemed unsuitable at the time. The recent recovery in prices may prompt the leading religious orders to re-engage.
There are 150 religious orders in the State and they are all autonomous. Encouragement to participate was provided by Fr Peter McVerry of the McVerry Trust who said many religious orders “had no shortage of land” and he believed they would respond generously in the present situation.
The Minister chose the venue for his public invitation well. It involved the opening of a supported housing project in Dublin’s Inner City in a building provided by the Congregation of Our Lady of Charity of the Good Shepherd. Mr Coveney said it was a good example of the role the religious could play in tackling the housing crisis. Next week he will make inquiries about further contributions, either through land banks or individual properties, in direct conversation with them.
The transfer of tracts of potential building land to the State will not solve immediate problems because of the need for planning permission and the provision of infrastructure. But it could help to cool an overheating property market. Of more immediate benefit would be the surrender of large empty properties that could be quickly converted for use by homeless families.
The housing crisis was not caused by religious orders but resulted from misguided government policy and a long-term shortfall in State investment. Governments relied too much on the private sector and, arising from the economic crash, public spending is now restricted by EU rules.
Disagreement over the funding of redress schemes soured relations between government and religious orders for years. An opportunity now exists for them to display a generosity of spirit.