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

Last week, after the Taoiseach and his partners in Fianna Fáil reasserted their confidence in the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government, I invited people to share their housing stories with me and they did, in their hundreds. Nothing could have prepared me for the trauma and heartache that those stories encapsulated. We have compiled some of those stories in a document entitled, The Humans of the Housing Crisis. I have sent it to the Taoiseach, the Minister, Deputy Murphy, and their partner, Deputy Micheál Martin. I trust that the Taoiseach has read the document but it is important to place on the record of the Dáil some of the stories that were sent to me. The Taoiseach may have seen Kevin Maughan's letter to Santa Claus, covered in one of the newspapers this morning. He writes to Santa: "Please come to my hotel again with Batman toys." That is what he wants this year. Kevin is seven. He lives in emergency accommodation in County Clare with his parents and little sister. Kevin has developed asthma due to his homelessness because he has stayed in so many cold and damp places. Here is another letter:

Hi, my landlord wants to sell her house, and myself, husband and my two small kids have to be out by February.

We have nowhere to go. I am on the housing list over 13 years.

Here is another:

We both have decent jobs with good incomes...

We rent a tiny studio apartment. We pay just over €1,000 for the privilege of tripping over each other and fighting over space...

Due to the high rents and high cost of living in this city we live pay check to pay check with little or no savings. Saving for a mortgage is simply not possible for us and our insecure housing situation has forced us to put our lives on hold.

Here is another:

Hi, im a student and until recently was living in a converted shed in the back of the landlord’s house.

I was cramped in there with two others. Rent is €500 and he only takes cash.

When I gave in my month’s notice he forced me out immediately and took my deposit.

Here is another:

I am currently living with my partner’s parents. Four years now in an attic with our 11 year old son.

We decided to take this step as the rent was absolutely spine-breaking. We both have really good jobs.

We have been trying to attain a mortgage for the last four years with no success.

This document is a catalogue of heartbreak, trauma and shattered dreams. It has been caused by the Government. What makes matters worse is that it does not have to be this way. All of these stories can heard and answered with the right policy decisions. At this stage, the Taoiseach needs to accept and recognise the real harm, financial distress, mental anguish and even physical illness that is being caused to families and to children. He needs to change direction, and to recognise that there are solutions and adopt them. Does he now accept that we have a housing crisis that has no equal? Does he accept that we need to start a radical change in policy? Will he accept that we can start by dealing with extortionate rents? Will he commit to supporting the Sinn Féin legislation that has been debated and will come before the House for a vote tomorrow?

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