Maurice Quinlivan (Limerick City, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Deputy Funchion was talking about people who cannot even get rent support. House prices in Limerick are higher than ever. Rents and homelessness figures are higher, and every aspect of housing in the State is failing. The average rent in Limerick is €1,645 on average, which is up €400 since 2020. According to Daft.ie, the only two properties available to rent in Limerick today were a one-bedroom property in the city for €1,200 and a two-bedroom property for €2,500. The Minister referred to the houses he opened yesterday. I was there to see the three projects. They are great but as I drove to Moyross, through Ballinanty, Killeely and Thomond, and to Bloodmill Road, through Kennedy Park and Garrowen, I noted the number of vacant houses. There are 250 local authority homes estimated to be vacant in Limerick city, and the council does not have the funding to address this. The Minister and his predecessors always told me there was no problem with funding, but the council tells me it cannot get it. The last time I raised this, there were 160 vacant houses but there are now 250. If the Minister tells me it is going in the right direction, he should realise it is not.

People are at their wits' end. They come to my constituency office every day, just as they go to other people's constituency offices all across the State. There is absolutely nothing to rent. For a working family, even one on a small income, there is no support whatsoever if over the limit. There are families back living with their parents. An absolute social disaster is happening in front of us and there are working families back living in box rooms. My office is inundated with people ringing morning, noon and night. Since the Government ended the eviction ban, our one question has been about where these people are supposed to go. That is the question the Minister has never answered. What do I say to people who will be in my office again on Monday? I have many people booked in for Monday. Where are they supposed to go? There is nothing for them to rent. They cannot get on the housing list. Even if they could, there would be 2,500 people ahead of them.

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