Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent) | Oireachtas source

Déanaim comhghairdeas leis an Aire Stáit as a fhreagra díreach agus ionraic. I thank him for his straight and direct response. We are talking about a city where a task force was set up in 2019 and where the Simon report - unfortunately, the Minister has had to step out - tells us about the lived experience of real people. Can he imagine that rents have gone up 24% in County Longford, 20% in counties Roscommon, Leitrim and Cavan, and more than 14% in County Galway? That 14% is staggering in itself. We have a city where no houses are available under the housing assistance payment, HAP, or even under the discretionary payments. We have a serious housing crisis, a list that is as long as your arm and all we have is a twisting of language.

A task force was set up under the able stewardship of Ms Geraldine Tallon, who has pointed out a number of things, but there are no reports. The task force was under obligation to give an annual report on what it identified as the blocks in Galway.

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