Carol Nolan (Laois-Offaly, Independent) | Oireachtas source

This motion makes it very clear the Government has lost all control of housing. In Offaly there are just 11 homes available in the entire county and most of those are outside the reach of what most people and, indeed, families can afford. In a town the size of Tullamore, with a population of approximately 14,600 people, there are just three houses for rent at present. In Birr, which has a population of almost 6,000, there are just three properties to rent. People are in desperate need and the same is true in neighbouring Laois, which has a population of 85,000 people but with just 14 properties available for rent in the entire county. By any reasonable metric, this is the measure of a failed and failing housing policy. The Government has lost all control. It has not been proactive and we certainly need more housing schemes to be built and not just a big fanfare every two years when there is one completed. Government has much catching up to do on affordable housing schemes, because young couples are locked out of the market.

There should also be balance in terms of fairness for landlords and tenants because I am aware of landlords who have had their properties destroyed. There are good tenants and good landlords and bad tenants and bad landlords. That is an issue also. There needs to be balance and fairness.

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