Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance) | Oireachtas source

I also wish to speak about the different experiences that people will face as Christmas approaches. As the Christmas lights go up, it should be a time of excitement, happiness and joy, particularly for children and families. In truth, it will be a tale of two very different Christmases, depending on where one is positioned in Irish society and, in particular, whether one has a roof over one's head. Imagine the situation faced by Elaine and her three children, for example, who visited my office in the past few weeks and who are about to be evicted, having exhausted all appeals through the Residential Tenancies Board and with nowhere to go. Another family with three children, who would rather not have their names mentioned, face eviction before Christmas, while the father of yet another family, who visited me this week and who are living in emergency accommodation in Wicklow, must take his children to three different schools in south Dublin, sit in the car all day waiting for them to finish school and then drive back to Wicklow every day. Other families are experiencing their second or even third Christmas in emergency accommodation. It is shameful that people are being evicted in the midst of this situation and that children must go through a second or third Christmas like this. For others, however, it will be a bumper Christmas.

I wish to draw the Taoiseach's attention to this property supplement from a newspaper which states: "Strong residential investment deals. Over 1,600 apartments sold. Total value €610 million." The vast majority of these, of which approximately four are in my area, are National Asset Management Agency, NAMA, properties that were sold or are being sold to real estate investment trusts, REITs, or wealth asset management companies. The average price is approximately €380,000. The most recent one to be sold in Dún Laoghaire, comprising 214 apartments, cost €95 million at an average price of €440,000 per unit. The article helpfully goes on to state how that block will generate approximately €5 million in rental revenue for the new purchasers. These properties are being sold by NAMA. They are publicly owned and they are being sold to Kennedy Wilson, REITs and other wealth asset management companies which in some cases, to add insult to injury, will then lease them back to local authorities at extortionate prices, boasting about the amount of profit they are making. At the same time, families will suffer a miserable Christmas in emergency accommodation or face eviction.

We face a large demonstration on Saturday which will call for an end to evictions into homelessness. Should the Government not take emergency measures to ensure no kids or families are evicted as Christmas approaches? Will it do anything to stop NAMA selling thousands of properties that could be used to provide secure, affordable, permanent homes for these families who are suffering trauma and hardship as Christmas approaches?

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