Ruth Coppinger (Dublin West, Solidarity) | Oireachtas source

I have the OECD figures in front of me. As I explained at the outset, Ireland uses fewer categories when it comes to evaluating homelessness. The figures for the UK, our nearest neighbour, refer to the number of households applying for housing assistance to local authorities. Such households are accepted as being in the statutory homelessness category during the year of reference. We do not do this. The figures of the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government do not count rough sleeping either. Perhaps they are added somewhere else but they are not counted officially on the Department's website. It only deals with those in emergency accommodation.

We could argue until the cows come home, but everybody knows that 464 public houses were built last year. In the 1970s, 8,000 or 9,000 were routinely built each year. This morning, as people got up, they were told that house prices are to increase by 20% in the next couple of years because there is no affordable housing and there is not enough housing for the growing population. The Minister of State can argue all he likes. What was most pertinent about the comments the Taoiseach made at the weekend is that they revealed a real belief. They were backed up later by Mr. Skehan, who is a Government adviser. How can we have somebody heading up the Housing Agency who thinks the poor will always be with us and that we should not get emotional about homelessness? I wish he would tell that to the people I meet every day in the Dublin West constituency, which is a black spot for homelessness because of our young migrant and very transient population. People do not have anywhere to live.

The Minister of State also mentioned the census. Huge numbers of young people aged under 30 are stuck at home. Almost 500,000 of them cannot get out from under their parents' feet and create independent lives for themselves. They are not counted as being homeless either, but they are also in housing need. We were told it would take 40 years to clear the housing waiting list if we wait for the Government, with its neoliberal philosophy, and capitalism to solve the problem. A complete change is required. We need an alternative whereby people who believe in public housing are in control.

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