Thomas Pringle (Donegal, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I am sharing with Deputy Mick Wallace. The housing crisis is not only a problem in Dublin but it affects people in my constituency of Donegal too and the lack of social and affordable housing, rising rents and negligent landlords are features of Donegal's housing sector as well. For the first time, we are now seeing a rise in rural homelessness among people who were never at risk before. Donegal's existing high levels of deprivation mean rising rents create a toxic mix for low-income families already struggling to find and maintain work. When they cannot cope, there are few alternatives for them to avail of. There have been increases in HAP payments but market rents are increasing even faster, with most landlords refusing, point blank, to accept HAP or deal with people who are looking for HAP.

I looked at one well-know website this evening.

There is one house in the entire county of Donegal that is below the income level for a family to rent. There are 100 houses that are above the rent. It is not that the houses are not there, but the landlords will not accept the payments.

There were 19 people recorded as homeless in Donegal over the Christmas period, and 30 people were homeless every month before that. These numbers are unacceptable anywhere in this country. Responding to this I co-chaired a conference on homelessness in Donegal with Fr. Peter McVerry and others, in an attempt to provide awareness of rural homelessness. People attended in large numbers to echo our concerns, and were angry with this Government for failing to provide the most basic housing needs. Today we have an opportunity to adequately address the housing crisis by finally increasing tenant rights through Deputy Shortall's Bill. If this Government had done this in the first place we may not have been facing a housing emergency today.

My Thirty-fifth Amendment of the Constitution (Economic, Social and Cultural Rights) Bill 2016, which includes the right to housing, was twice voted down by Fianna Fáil and this Government because of their choice to consistently prioritise private sector interests over the basic needs of individuals. It is time for the Government to rights-proof decision making and bring the rights of individuals to the core of policy making, build social houses, increase tenant rights and make housing a right which the State defends. That is how this problem will be dealt with.

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