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

Jennifer Bray recently did a fact check on the Government's Housing for All progress and it was pretty revealing. She revealed that in 2022, the Government's target for affordable housing was 4,100, but what it actually delivered was 1,757. In fact, it was really less because it had included 750 approvals for the first time buyers scheme, and there was actually only 137 draw-downs. This year, the target for affordable housing is 5,500, but in the first six months the Government only delivered 1,290. In terms of social housing, the target for last year was 9,000, and 7,500 units were delivered. Mel Reynolds has pointed out that the number of actual council houses built on public land was only 1,689, a fraction of what the Government actually stated was happening. In other words, we are relying completely on the private sector and purchasing. I believe we should purchase those homes in the absence of the State actually delivering, but where is the actual delivery of public housing? It is nowhere close to what is needed or the Government's own targets. Jennifer Bray has pointed out that when Housing for All started, rents were €2,082 per month in Dublin. Two years on, they are now €2,330.

Let us just think about that - €2,330 average rent in Dublin. Who the hell could afford that? The Government is doing nothing to control those rents. I urge the Taoiseach once again to look at the number of people who are trapped in homelessness. I had a couple come in to me this week, both working, who are two years in homeless accommodation. They are both going out to work every day. They are absolutely miserable and wonder how they can carry on with this stuff. Their case can be multiplied by thousands. An audit should be done of the long-term imprisonment of people in emergency accommodation to try to help people move out of emergency accommodation. It is just not right to leave working people, families, kids for years and years in emergency accommodation.

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