Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance) | Oireachtas source

The Department issued a policy document in July 2012 in which it was stated that direct provision of newly built social housing was being brought to an end and that it would in future rely on leasing arrangements with the private sector. At the same time, rent allowance supports and caps were reduced.

I remember the Minister for Social Protection, Deputy Burton, promising us in this House that this would not cause problems or lead to homelessness and that, in fact, it would lead to a reduction in rents. I plead with the Minister of State to put up her hands and say she got it wrong because the exact opposite happened. Rents went through the roof and homelessness followed directly as a result of the reduction in the rent caps and this is still happening. I recall the Minister for Social Protection, Deputy Burton, saying to me that no one would be made homeless as a result of the Government's policies. On three occasions I have brought families to the House, including as recently as last week, who have been made homeless or who will be made homeless this week because of the reduction in the rent caps against a background of rising rents. The landlords simply say they are sorry but that the rent is going up. The rent allowance community welfare officers will not vary the rent caps and people are evicted. Then, they must go to emergency homeless services and they are put in hotels or hostels on the other side of the city. They have to drag children across the city to schools and some cannot get to schools. They cannot function and they do not know from day to day where they will be sleeping.

It is an extraordinary situation and it is getting worse. Deputy O'Brien is perfectly right. Fully 80% of cases that come to my clinic relate to people facing homelessness in dire situations and I know it is the same for Deputy Catherine Murphy. Some will be 17 years on a housing list. I have before me a case study. Noleen from Wicklow was renting a house for €900 per month. The landlord increased the rent to €1,300 and the reason given was household charges. She ended up in a hostel with her four children. She now has a house on the rental accommodation scheme but the landlord refuses to do repairs and the council maintain it is up to the landlord to do such repairs. She has been told she will be 17 years on the list before she gets a house. What will the Minister of State do? We need direct build of council houses. The Government must vary rent caps in the interim to ensure people are not made homeless; otherwise, all words are useless.

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