Barry Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Today, there is another report from Simon stating that rents in Dublin are up 8.2% since last year. Daft.iesays that nationally rent for a two-bedroom house is 20% above the rent supplement. Families with children are being squeezed out of the rental market, yet the Minister has refused to increase the rent supplement, even though the Minister, the Tánaiste and their Government colleagues have been asked to do so since 2012.

The supply of private housing, in Dublin in particular, is stagnant. House repossession cases continue apace, with 100 alone in Cork today. There could be thousands more on the housing waiting list by the end of the year, according to Fr. Peter McVerry.

Let there be no doubt that, unfortunately, this Government has let this national crisis develop. It has reacted with too little, too late. Even though it has made many announcements, subsequent actions have been few and far between.

There is chaos in the housing sector and the number of homeless people is mounting. There is no easing off at all and the Government has failed to address the issue. It is not just me or any other Member of the Opposition who is saying this, it is being said by Simon, Focus Ireland, the Society of St. Vincent de Paul, Brother Kevin and Fr. McVerry.

Up to 3,000 vacant units across the country require refurbishment before families can move into them, yet the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government, Deputy Kelly, and the Government have cut €6 million from the refurbishment fund. It makes no sense whatsoever. In fact, it is a lesson in how to make things worse. For the past four and a half years, the Government has insisted that rent supplement will not be increased as it would drive rents higher. Why is the Government persisting in using the rent supplement to control the private sector, rather than the poverty-alleviating measure it is meant to be?

Lastly, I want to ask a question that has been answered in many different forms in recent weeks, so I would like to have some clarity on it. The Minister, Deputy Kelly, and the Taoiseach have sought to answer it. Last Tuesday week, the Taoiseach said that on foot of a Cabinet meeting that morning, the Government had ordered 150 modular housing units for Dublin families. How much have they cost, when will they be delivered, is emergency planning legislation required for them to be placed and, most importantly, when will families be moved into them?

See this speech in context