Mattie McGrath (Tipperary, Independent) | Oireachtas source

We have a massive and truly shocking housing crisis. Regarding the IPAS applicants in Mount Street, the Minister, Deputy O'Gorman, decided to be out in Japan instead of looking after them. We have a case in Tipperary concerning Mr. Sean Meehan. He is facing imprisonment for housing himself in a perfectly suitable mobile home, which is very aesthetically placed on his own land. He is facing jail in the early days of April. Hundreds of people marched in Clonmel last Friday and more people are meeting in Caiseal na Mumhan next Saturday. It is shocking that the Government cannot introduce a statutory instrument The Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage can do this. Maybe the Taoiseach might do this as his legacy.

There are thousands of these people around the country who have housed themselves. They are not causing any damage to anybody and are not looking for a house from the State. A stroke of a pen in the form of a statutory instrument could allow these people to remain where they are. A moratorium for ten years in this context would make a huge dent in the housing crisis. If all these people are forced to go onto the housing waiting lists, then there will be another couple of thousand people on those lists. I think it makes sense that Sean Meehan should not go to jail and his house should not be destroyed.

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