Michael Collins (Cork South West, Independent) | Oireachtas source

Last week's homelessness figures proved that the Government had no right to lift the eviction ban. It was something I very strongly opposed and we now have full proof that things are going to get worse. We know it is going to get worse.

Buying a house has never been an easy process but it has now become so difficult that the average age of a first-time buyer is now 34. It is no wonder when average rents in Ireland hit a whopping €1,733 per month in the final quarter of 2022 and an even more eye-watering €2,300 per month in Dublin. Rents across the country continue to raise at record levels driven by a chronic shortage of houses. These high rents make the 10% deposit requirement to purchase a property a very difficult hurdle without the bank of Mum and Dad featuring heavily.

However, despite the Government recognising the clear need for housing in its spin, press briefings, economic budgets and its Housing for All strategy, the number of houses being built continues to be well below the level of demand, pointing to a complete lack of action to resolve the crisis, which is now turning into an emergency. People are coming into my clinics every weekend and every day I have one with housing issues. Most of them are getting letters from their landlords, which is causing them immense stress. They cannot find anywhere to rent or purchase or they cannot even go on the housing assistance payment, HAP. People who are separating cannot even separate. They have to continue living in their homes because this crisis is so bad.

Time and time again, I stand here talking about planning permission but the Government has not done anything about planning policy. It is getting more and more difficult for young people in my constituency of Cork South-West to get planning permission. They are continuously refused because the book says the State is totally against the local person getting a bit of local planning. That is how you resolve issues. We then see have banks and vulture funds trying to take homes away from people just in case they are not crucified enough at the moment.

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