Michael Collins (Cork South West, Independent) | Oireachtas source

Homelessness is a blight on our society. I know the difficulties that people are experiencing. I know people in Clonakilty who are sleeping in cars and vans. I am not singling out Clonakilty, because the same is happening in other places. My constituency office is always working with people who are on the verge of homelessness. It is difficult for people to access the property market because they cannot afford houses. Planning permission is a major issue in my constituency. Young people who want to start off in life might have plans with perfect architecture that are perfectly compliant with environmental regulations. The planning laws stop them from getting off the ground and catch them under the seven-year rule.

Many people are living in dreadful conditions outside my constituency while looking for homes in County Cork. Such homes are not available. They they cannot get accommodation and they are sleeping in the streets. It does not matter whether they can afford it; they simply cannot get it. It is simply not available. Qualifying for the HAP is very difficult. People in that situation are not treated fairly. A lot of young couples' expenses are not taken into account, but every bit of both of their incomes certainly is. Such people are often refused the HAP.

I also refer to the people who have homes and are fighting to keep them. Vulture funds are on their backs. We will see quite a lot of that in the next 12 months. I have been talking to many publicans whose businesses have closed. The banks have returned to their normal ruthlessness. Banks tried to play the sympathy game when the public eye was on them, but now it has moved on and the Government has walked away from any negotiations with them. A large number of publicans and businesspeople will be thrown out onto the street next year.

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