Ivana Bacik (Dublin Bay South, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister for the response. I commend the authors of the report from Threshold and Alone, because they have shone a spotlight on what is, as the Minister has acknowledged, a problem we are going to see increasing with an ageing population and the ticking time bomb resulting from the chronic housing shortage. However, the Minister's Government needs to do something about this. Once again we are hearing a lack of urgency from the Minister when it comes to actions. On pensions, we have called for them to be indexed to the rate of inflation. On insecurity of housing for persons renting into older age, what the Government can do is stabilise the rental sector and make it a viable option for people to live in long term. Across Europe, older people live in the rental sector long term in peace, in full security and without the prospect of eviction. That is the difference here. Not only are people unable to afford to pay rents given the level of pension we have currently, there is also the insecurity of facing a situation where evictions are permitted again. That is before we get into the huge difficulties experienced by so many in trying to find alternative accommodation when they have been evicted. It is very difficult and especially for older persons, those who might not have access to the Internet and for those forced to queue down the block for accommodation. There is such a shortage.

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