Pearse Doherty (Donegal, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Táimid ag maireachtáil i lár ghéarchéim tithíochta de bharr pholasaí an Rialtais. Bhí an cinneadh deireadh a chur leis an gcosc ar dhíshealbhú fuar agus cadránta. Tá údaráis áitiúla ag rá le teaghlaigh, is é sin, na tionóntaí sin a bheidh díshealbhaithe, nach bhfuil áit ar bith acu le cur fúthu. Tá siad tréigthe ag an Rialtas seo.

We are living in the middle of a housing emergency cause by Government actions and inaction, and the Government's latest policy is to end the eviction ban that was helping to keep the roofs over the heads of so many workers and families. Given the choice between facilitating wealthy investment funds and corporate landlords, or putting the needs of ordinary people first, this Government chose to stand on the side of landlords and investment funds. That is where its priority is.

Many families, through no fault of their own, face eviction now because of this Government. These are people who paid their rent on time, month after month, year after year. These are people who were already paying sky-high rents. Now, there are far too few rental properties on the market for them to find and call their home. They cannot afford to save to buy, and those who might be able to buy in a normal housing market cannot afford the prices that are being asked in our broken one. These people just want somewhere to call home but instead of helping these people, the Government has taken a cold and cruel decision to make people homeless. Those people being made homeless are being told by their local councils that they have no emergency accommodation for them. I have a letter from one of these councils, namely, South Dublin County Council, that was sent to my colleague, Deputy Ward, and it is very clear. It refers to one family who found themselves hopeless. This family is made up of one adult and two children. The council told the family that it has no emergency accommodation for them. The Dublin Region Homeless Executive told the family there is no available accommodation for them. This is before the eviction ban has even been lifted. The family were told by the council to present at a Garda station for a safe place to stay.

This is what is happening on the Tánaiste's watch. This is what is happening under this Government. Families are now being told by local authorities that where they need to go to stay safe is the local Garda station. Yet, the Tánaiste comes in here and trots out the same slogans, week after week, that Fianna Fáil is the party of homeownership. It is complete and utter nonsense.

This is a wealthy country but Government decision after decision has taken the basic right of having a roof over one's head away from an entire generation of people. Thousands of young people cannot afford to buy. People feel trapped in a cycle of cramped flat shares and sky-high rents and of never being able to save for a deposit no matter how hard they try or how many hours they work.

People are putting their lives on hold because they cannot find a place to call home. Thousands of renters are worried sick today about getting a call from their landlords with the devastating news that their lives are going to be turned upside down because they are going to be issued with an eviction notice.

More people are being, and will be, evicted because of the decisions taken by the Tánaiste and Cabinet this week. What are families are being told? They are being told there is no accommodation in the emergency system. They are being told that they should present to their local Garda station to keep themselves safe in the year of 2023. Shame on this Government.

Yesterday, our party leader, Teachta McDonald, asked the Taoiseach what these families who are going to be presenting as homeless when Government lifts this ban are going to do? Where are they to go? He would not answer, but maybe the Tánaiste will answer. Where are these families to go? Is it to their local Garda station? That is what the local authorities are telling them because is no emergency accommodation in the system.

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