Practical steps required to help the tens of thousands of people affected by the housing crisis
A Social Democrats’ motion to be debated in the Dáil this evening will call for 10,000 affordable purchase and affordable rental homes to be built every year.
Cian O’Callaghan, the party’s deputy leader and housing spokesperson, said:
“This Government has failed miserably to meet its own target for affordable purchase homes – a target that was unambitious to begin with – resulting in just 323 being delivered last year. This is hardly surprising given that the Minister for Housing did not spend almost €1 billion of his department’s capital budget between 2020 and 2022.
“The Minister must now immediately publish figures for how many affordable homes will be delivered in 2023.
“Since this Government took office, rents have continued to soar, homeless numbers have hit astronomical highs and house prices have reached levels that are out of reach for most people.
“There are now more than 500,000 adults still living at home with their parents, while almost 13,000 people are in emergency homeless accommodation – the highest number in the history of the State.
“Our motion today calls on the Government to put practical steps in place to help the tens of thousands of people struggling to find an affordable place to live.
“In addition to building 10,000 affordable purchase and affordable rental homes each year, we are proposing the reintroduction of a no-fault eviction ban, better protections for renters and a strong and effective vacant property tax with teeth.
“These are all solutions that could make a real difference to people’s lives.”
September 21, 2023