Thomas Pringle (Donegal, Independent) | Oireachtas source

It has been two and a half years since Housing for All was published and what has the Minister to show for it? The answer is record-breaking homelessness, crumbling houses, defective dwellings and tents of asylum seekers. One thing is certain; the Minister, Deputy O’Brien, has not provided housing for all. Far from it.

The housing situation in this country has never been so dire. Secure and stable housing has become completely inaccessible to many. This speaks to a complete failure of Government policy. On the other hand, perhaps it is a success because the only conclusion that can be drawn is that this is how the Government wants things to be and that it is Government policy. Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil have created a crisis of unprecedented proportions, which is being felt by everyone. Even the Housing Commission has called for a "radical strategic reset” of Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil housing policy and condemns the “ineffective decision making and reactive policy making where risk aversion dominates".

Along with the cost of living, the housing shortage has made owning a home a pipe dream for most people in my constituency and across the country. Renting is not an option for many either. It was revealed this week that Donegal and Sligo have seen some of the highest increases in rent prices in the first three months of 2024. The latest Daft.ie report shows that rents in Donegal were 13.3% higher than a year previously, with the average rent price in the county now standing at €1,126. People are already struggling with the current high rents. Further increases will make housing costs an insurmountable struggle for many and will push people into poverty. How close to the brink is the Government willing to push its citizens?

The Housing Commission has reported that Ireland has, by comparison with other European countries, one of the highest levels of public expenditure on housing and yet one of the poorest outcomes. Perhaps the provision of housing to big companies is the outcome the Minister wants. This is a disgrace and demonstrates just how incompetent are the Minister for housing and his Government. I urge all of those voting in the upcoming local and European elections to consider this Government’s housing record. We are being told that more houses are being built than ever before and that the Government is serious about tackling the housing crisis but the facts and the numbers speak for themselves. Record homelessness speaks for itself. It is time for a government that speaks for the people.

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