Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Traditionally, December is the time of year when we think, in particular, of those who are homeless and, more specifically, those citizens who are sleeping rough. We know from last week's homelessness figures that there are now more people homeless in the state than ever before. We also know that the official figures actually understate the reality of homelessness across society. The rough sleeper count, published yesterday, shows a 40% increase in the number sleeping rough since March, which is shocking. It is no exaggeration to say hundreds of thousands of people across society are affected by the housing crisis. Up and down the country, families are worried about whether they will have a roof over their heads come January. People in the private rental sector are being hit time and again with rent increases which are still exorbitantly high, while long promised social housing is being constructed at a snail's pace. House prices are out of control and, for young people, owning a home is a pipedream.

The Taoiseach's response is to stick with the plan. It may not have occurred to him, but his plan is not working. In fact, he is failing spectacularly. Last Saturday thousands of people took to the streets of this city to tell him that. I think it is time he listened to them. Last week the Central Bank stated to would-be homeowners who wish to get out of the high rental trap to wait and hang on for new homes to be built before trying to buy. That would be prudent and worthy advice if houses were coming on stream and people were in a position to actually save a few bob. Week in and week out, the Taoiseach and the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government and their colleagues state ad nauseam, both here and elsewhere, that people should simply wait, that the houses will arrive, yet we continue to witness homelessness and the housing crisis. We have highfalutin guarantees that new homes will sort everything out, but that they will only arrive at some undefined point in the future.

The crisis is real. It is in the here and now. Frankly, people are fed up waiting for the Taoiseach to get his act together. They are being screwed, day in, day out, with runaway rents and it seems the Government is incapable of taking meaningful action. The Taoiseach seems to specialise in empty promises. We need something tangible that will benefit the people who are struggling and need a break. I put it to the Taoiseach that he should do something decent and constructive to cut people a bit of slack. I suggest the introduce a three-year rent freeze and temporary tax relief for renters with immediate effect.

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