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

I wish to raise three specific issues with the Minister of State concerning the housing crisis and how it is impacting on Galway. One can only describe the housing situation as grim. It is completely and utterly grim for families and of course individuals. It used to be the case that if you were 11 years on the housing list in Galway city, you had a fair chance of being offered something. Increasingly, I have people coming to me who have been 14 years on the housing list in Galway City and they have never once been offered a place to live. That is stark.

The other issue I raise is people who are availing of HAP and getting notices to quit. This applies to both Galway City Council and Galway Country Council. I have heard mention here that councils now apparently have the ability to buy all the houses where people are served notices to quit. I would love nothing more than to see that happen because I am seeing notices to quit rising and rising for people who are on HAP and the council cannot buy those houses. It is a really serious issue because those people are being pushed into homelessness. There is not the capacity for all these people who are homeless.

The third issue I raise is typified by two single men who have come to me in recent times. They have had their rented accommodation be massively increased in price. These are people in their 50s and 60s. One of them is in shared rented accommodation. One has seen his rent increased by 20%, which is of course not allowable in a rent pressure zone, but what is he going to do? He knows there is nowhere else for him to rent and he will end up in homeless accommodation. Another fellow is getting his rent raised from €105 per week to €120 per week when he is on €208 per week. What is he supposed to do? How is he supposed to live? How is he supposed to heat and how is he supposed to eat?

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