Paul Donnelly (Dublin West, Sinn Fein)

By every single metric and by every single part of the housing strategy, this Government has failed. It has failed because of its over-reliance on private developers and investments funds that undermine its ability to deliver genuinely affordable housing at scale. It is clear as can be stated that we need much more State-led investment. When will the Government admit that the private market has zero interest in solving the housing crisis and providing genuine affordable housing? It is only about profit for it. We simply cannot continue into the future with the huge transfer of money into the hands of private landlords. Approximately €1 billion per year is spent on HAP. The current rates are so wide off the private market rents that it is now virtually impossible to rent whatever little properties are available on HAP.

I spoke last week on the fears of people in private rented accommodation with regard to rent pressure zones. People are absolutely terrified that controls are going to be removed without some form of protection. What is needed is an assurance that those people, who are one pay cheque away from homelessness, will not be joining the 15,000 people and 4,500 children in homeless accommodation and that the Government will put the people’s interests before market interests.

I will say, however, and it was raised earlier, that the Minister has a chance to change the narrative in the context of his tenure as Minister. Fingal County Council has provided a pathway to thousands of homes along the N3 where there is a train station, the M50 and a massive piece of land. It is looking for help, support and investment. The Minister can give a commitment today to Fingal County Council to show that he will be a different housing Minister from previous housing Ministers. If he does not, however, then he will just be another Minister in a long line of housing Ministers who have left people in homelessness, left people unable to pay for an affordable house, and left the thousands and thousands of people who have left this country unable to ever return.

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