Dáil debates

Wednesday, 27 September 2017

Housing: Motion [Private Members]

 

7:00 pm

Photo of John BradyJohn Brady (Wicklow, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the fact that Sinn Féin and Deputy Eoin Ó Broin have introduced this motion and that I have an opportunity to speak on it. In my constituency of Wicklow, which is in the commuter belt, there are many factors driving the housing crisis. We have a significant housing waiting list and a lack of supply. Even last week, unfortunately, we had another fatality on the streets, this time in Bray in my constituency when a local man died in a tent. There are many reasons why that happened, some of which I touched on already but another reason is the fact that there is no emergency homeless shelter or beds provided in County Wicklow. That is a serious problem that needs to be addressed.

7 o’clock

The Minister, Deputy Eoghan Murphy, visited County Wicklow last week to turn the sod on a 20-unit development in Rathdrum. It is a very welcome start, although there is a long way to go. In other areas of the county such as Blessington, there are huge problems in terms of infrastructure. Irish Water has confirmed that there is a serious problem with sewage treatment in the area and that there will be no additional capacity in that infrastructure until 2019 at the earliest. There is simply no housing construction going on in Blessington and there certainly will be none until 2020 at the earliest. That a serious problem which needs to be addressed. I urge the Minister of State to examine it.

While the small steps and small changes in other areas are welcome, in parts of Wicklow and other parts of the State critical infrastructure is not in place and will not be for the foreseeable future. We will continue to have the serious housing and homelessness crises and all the other problems that stem from them.

Comments

No comments

Log in or join to post a public comment.