Mairead Farrell (Galway West, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

The Minister said it is not a political game and I agree with him but to be honest, much of the time when I hear Government Deputies shouting about the housing crisis, I really think they think it is some kind of political game. The reality is that the housing crisis is as a result of political choices. That is why we are where we are. There is no denying that. It is because of political choices made by the previous Government, which the Minister supported, and by this Government. I am sure the Minister knows of, and everyone in this Chamber faces, the situation where every Monday at my clinic the key issue that comes through the door is housing. To be honest, it has become increasingly difficult to find any kind of solutions for the people coming in the door. Much of the time the people have notices to quit. We know there are rising numbers of notices to quit and the best the council can say to people is to apply for the housing assistance payment, HAP. The reality in Galway city, and I cannot speak for anywhere else, is that there are no rental properties available, let alone anything within the HAP limits. What are these families to do? We know the figures and the huge increase in the number of people who are in emergency accommodation. The reality for these people is that being faced with this prospect is a huge and terrifying shock for them. They really have two or three options. They can try to get emergency accommodation, much of which is substandard. I have seen the photographs from people who come to my office. They can try sleeping in their parents' sitting rooms or maybe on a friend's couch but that is all they have. It is getting worse. I hear about it in my clinics.

On the points the Minister in regard to affordable housing, I would love him to come to Galway city and bring us the affordable housing. This is not about me wanting to win this argument. I do not want Sinn Féin to win this argument. I want the Government to deliver. For years we, in Galway city, have been hearing talk about an affordable housing estate. We are told that the earliest it will be delivered is 2024. It will not be enough for all the people who ask me if they can get an affordable house. To be clear, I am sick of hearing Fianna Fáil Deputies telling me that we object. Fianna Fáil has been objecting in Galway for years. The Minister should maybe check that out.

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