Gerry Adams (Louth, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Yesterday, the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government released the State's latest homelessness figures. Last month, 6,358 people were living in emergency accommodation, a shocking 2,206 of whom were children. Child homelessness has increased by over 70% in the past 12 months. Children are sleeping night after night in cramped hotels or unsuitable hostels. These figures do not include those who are living in overcrowded housing, sleeping on someone else's floor or sofa or those waiting for emergency accommodation.

Why are these people homeless? It is not an accident or an act of nature. Rather, it is because the Government and Fianna Fáil before it failed to build social housing, tackle spiralling rents and help those in mortgage distress. The Government ignored all the warnings about this pending crisis when Sinn Féin and others brought it to its attention.

Yesterday, the Minister, Deputy Coveney, launched his action plan for housing and homelessness. It has some merit, and Sinn Féin has welcomed its positive elements. Clearly, the Minister is making a genuine effort to tackle the housing crisis, but it is results that count. The Minister, like the Taoiseach, seems restrained by an ideological reliance on the market.

What is not in the plan is as important as what is. Crucially, it fails to address the most urgent aspects of the crisis. It is not ambitious enough and not enough social housing will be built. Gone is the dedicated court to tackle mortgage distress promised in the programme for Government. There are no proposals to tackle spiralling rents. Crucially, it commits a mere €150 million in extra capital spending for social housing next year. At the very best, that will deliver an extra 833 social houses next year.

Whatever the longer-term impact of this plan, one thing is very clear. Those in need of housing today, those sleeping in emergency accommodation tonight and those who will struggle to pay their rent at the end of the month are offered very little comfort by this plan.

Why did the Government ignore the Committee on Housing and Homelessness which called for a moratorium on home repossessions? The committee included members of the Taoiseach's party. Why is he walking away from the programme for Government commitments to help families in mortgage distress to stay in their homes? If they are forced out of their homes, that will make the crisis even worse.

Why did the Taoiseach ignore the call of the Committee on Housing and Homelessness for the introduction of rent certainty, linking rent to the consumer price index? Why is the Taoiseach once again refusing to invest enough money in social housing to build and buy the homes so desperately needed by children living in emergency accommodation?

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