Dáil debates

Tuesday, 29 November 2016

Ceisteanna - Questions

Cabinet Committee Meetings

5:00 pm

Photo of Ruth CoppingerRuth Coppinger (Dublin West, Anti-Austerity Alliance)
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6. To ask the Taoiseach the dates of the future scheduled meetings of the Cabinet committee on housing. [36061/16]

Photo of Gerry AdamsGerry Adams (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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7. To ask the Taoiseach when the Cabinet committee on housing last met. [37379/16]

Photo of Joan BurtonJoan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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8. To ask the Taoiseach the number of times the Cabinet committee on housing has met. [37682/16]

Photo of Enda KennyEnda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 6 to 8, inclusive, together.

The Cabinet committee on housing last met on 7 November. It is scheduled to meet later today and again in December. It has met 11 times - on 12, 20 and 26 May; 2, 9, 15 and 30 June; 7 July; 28 September; 27 October; and 7 November - to date.

The committee is meeting regularly to oversee implementation of the action plan for housing and homelessness, which is a priority for Government.

Photo of Ruth CoppingerRuth Coppinger (Dublin West, Anti-Austerity Alliance)
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I am glad the Taoiseach has his hearing piece on because-----

Photo of Enda KennyEnda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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I have.

Photo of Ruth CoppingerRuth Coppinger (Dublin West, Anti-Austerity Alliance)
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-----if we had to identify a single issue, this, to me, is the most important in the country bar none. The Taoiseach is the chairman of the Cabinet committee on housing. He is chairing the only committee that has all of the relevant Ministers, that is cross-departmental in nature and that is meant to cut out cross-cutting issues and all of that jargon. However, everything that committee does is subservient to ensuring the making of private profits on the market.

It is absolutely terrible to be homeless at any time but to be homeless at Christmas is the most upsetting thing, particularly for children. I can say that having dealt with people who are facing into it. We have all been familiar with children asking their parents how Santa will come and how he will know where we are, etc. It is the most horrific time for any family to face homelessness. I do not think that there is any other Taoiseach in recent history who has stood over families being homeless for successive Christmases. Not only were those to whom I refer homeless last year, many are facing a second Christmas of homelessness. I am not talking about people who experience an abundance of social issues that might lead them to become homeless. I am referring to the likes of Ms Erica Fleming, who is well known, who worked as a receptionist for a well-known paint company and who pays taxes and has done for many years in this country.

A woman like that, with her daughter, should be able to get a roof over her head in this city but because of policies the Taoiseach is standing over, she is now facing homelessness for a second Christmas. I do not know if the Taoiseach has anything to say to her or to the other families in the same position.

Last week in the Dáil the Taoiseach referred to the tsunami of homeless as having had a "slight increase". I challenge the Taoiseach on that because the increase is not slight. The latest figures on homelessness in Dublin were published last week. I will confine my comments to Dublin for the moment. I am aware that there is a homelessness problem in other parts of the country but the bulk of homelessness in the country is in Dublin, which is why I am focusing on it. There were 2,110 children in 1,026 families in emergency accommodation in the last week of October. A total of 67 families with 133 children became newly homeless last month. I will repeat that for the Taoiseach - 67 families became homeless last month. The Taoiseach told the Dáil earlier today that his Government has the most comprehensive housing programme in the history of the State. Indeed, the former Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government, Deputy Alan Kelly, used to say the same thing. The Government's housing programme is clearly not working and I would like the Taoiseach to admit that. I would like him to admit that we have an emergency and to say that there will be a change of course.

There has been an increase of 45 in the number of homeless children in Dublin since September 2016. There has been an increase of 639 in the number of homeless children since October 2015. These statistics were provided in response to parliamentary questions I submitted a week ago. There has been an increase of 349 in the number of homeless families since October 2015. In total, there are now 5,146 homeless families in emergency accommodation in Dublin. That does not include the 140 people who were counted sleeping rough on the streets last week - the Taoiseach referred earlier to a figure of 115. Nor does it include the 70 people sleeping on the floor in the Merchant's Quay cafe or those sleeping in tents in the Phoenix Park. I do not know if the Taoiseach has seen them. The total does not include people sleeping in derelict buildings or on park benches. Indeed, according to Fr. Peter McVerry, the true figure for rough sleeping would be twice as high if all of those people were included. Furthermore, the figure does not include the 16 women per day who are turned away from refuges and who face the choice of homelessness or returning to a violent abuser. The total does not include homeless non-nationals who are dealt with by the Department of Social Protection's new communities unit. The true homelessness figure is much higher than the official one.

What is causing this? The Taoiseach chairs the Cabinet committee at which several Ministers attend. I do not have time to go into the record of each Department but in terms of Social Protection, cutting the dole for young people will not help. The lack of refuge spaces, for which the Minister for Justice and Equality is responsible, will not help. The response of the Minister for Finance was to focus time and attention on the first-time buyer's tax rebate of €20,000 which will go straight into the pockets of developers and push up the price of housing.

5:10 pm

Photo of Caoimhghín Ó CaoláinCaoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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This is a shared speaking opportunity.

Photo of Ruth CoppingerRuth Coppinger (Dublin West, Anti-Austerity Alliance)
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I am sorry. I did not realise I was on a time limit.

Photo of Seán Ó FearghaílSeán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Ceann Comhairle)
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Deputy Coppinger is not on a time limit but normally the other Deputies would be accommodated.

Photo of Ruth CoppingerRuth Coppinger (Dublin West, Anti-Austerity Alliance)
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I am sorry -----

Photo of Seán Ó FearghaílSeán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Ceann Comhairle)
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We also need a reply -----

Photo of Ruth CoppingerRuth Coppinger (Dublin West, Anti-Austerity Alliance)
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Okay.

Photo of Seán Ó FearghaílSeán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Ceann Comhairle)
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There is not much point in asking questions if there is no opportunity to get answers.

Photo of Ruth CoppingerRuth Coppinger (Dublin West, Anti-Austerity Alliance)
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I am sorry but it is rare to get a chance to ask the Taoiseach questions on such an important issue. Mr. David McWilliams who is not a card carrying member of any left wing or socialist party has said that the deposit rules were relaxed by the Central Bank in order for prices to rise which will coax builders who are sitting around waiting for such price rises into beginning to dig foundations. This is State sanctioned house price inflation.

One of the main reasons for people becoming homeless is the failure the Fine Gael Party, in particular, to do anything to tackle landlords and their control over tenants. Mr. David Erlich of the Ires Real Estate Investment Trust, REIT, told The Irish Times last week: "It's a great market, we've never seen rental increases like this in any jurisdiction that we're aware of". I hope the Government's private rental policy, to be announced next week, will introduce rent controls.

If the Taoiseach had to pick just one thing to do immediately it would be to remove the clause in the Residential Tenancies Act which allows landlords to evict tenants on the basis of selling the property. This is the key provision that is being used to make people homeless. Landlords simply have to state that they intend to sell the property, tenants take that at face value and they leave. The Taoiseach has done nothing to suggest that he will remove that clause.

Photo of Caoimhghín Ó CaoláinCaoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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The Ceann Comhairle indicated that there would be 15 minutes shared between three questioners but there is now less than two and half minutes left. Is the Ceann Comhairle going to offer leniency to the other -----

Photo of Seán Ó FearghaílSeán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Ceann Comhairle)
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No.

Photo of Caoimhghín Ó CaoláinCaoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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He is not.

Photo of Seán Ó FearghaílSeán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Ceann Comhairle)
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I cannot. There are 45 minutes in total for the questions. I will say that we cannot continue in the current fashion whereby the person in possession talks at length and other colleagues are not allowed to -----

Photo of Caoimhghín Ó CaoláinCaoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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I would like -----

Photo of Ruth CoppingerRuth Coppinger (Dublin West, Anti-Austerity Alliance)
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If I had been aware of that and given a time limit, I would have stuck to it. Perhaps the Ceann Comhairle could have indicated that in advance.

Photo of Caoimhghín Ó CaoláinCaoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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I accept what Deputy Coppinger has just said.

Photo of Seán Ó FearghaílSeán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Ceann Comhairle)
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We will bring proposals to put a time limit on contributions so that we can have answers.

Photo of Caoimhghín Ó CaoláinCaoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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I would like the Taoiseach to note that the cold, lifeless body of 49 year old Paul Gorman was found last Friday morning in the trolley bay at the Longwalk Shopping Centre in Dundalk. He was homeless and died on a particularly cold night when temperatures fell below zero. I want to take the opportunity today to extend my condolences to his family. His death clearly highlights the dangers for rough sleepers.

The number of rough sleepers is up over 50% on last year, despite what the Taoiseach and the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government have pledged would be done in regard to emergency bed provision. According to the latest figures from the Dublin Regional Homeless Executive, DRHE, about 140 individuals were found to be sleeping on the streets and in doorways. That figure has been challenged, as Deputy Coppinger pointed out, by the Peter McVerry Trust which argues that the actual figure is more likely to be twice that number. On the "Today with Sean O'Rourke" programme on RTE radio this morning a researcher spoke of discovering a cadre of homeless people in Cork who have set up a little camp. They are living in fear and in totally outrageous circumstances. We need to wake up to the real problems here because the true facts of the situation are not being established.

With no time left I can only ask the Taoiseach what the Cabinet committee on housing is doing to address this worsening problem and whether it will address the discrepancies in the recording of homeless figures that I have just highlighted.

Photo of Brendan HowlinBrendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)
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There is a consensus in this House that addressing the two issues that have been set out, namely rough sleeping and homelessness, needs urgent attention. The Cabinet committee brings together the various actors at Government level but there is no simple solution to this. It is an issue of supply and we must get the supply right. There is a number of proposals coming from the Opposition. Although there is an overarching housing plan, there is good legislation coming from various Members of the Opposition, including the Labour Party which has drafted legislation on two issues. I ask the Taoiseach to give these two issues careful attention. The first is that of rent certainty and the second is the implementation of the Kenny Report on building land which is long overdue. We are all responsible for the fact the recommendations of that report have not been implemented which would ensure that building land was affordable. Will the Taoiseach give fair wind and real consideration to legislative proposals coming from this side of the House?

Photo of Seán Ó FearghaílSeán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Ceann Comhairle)
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I will provide an additional two minutes and ask the Taoiseach to give a very brief response.

Photo of Enda KennyEnda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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It is ridiculous that we only have 15 minutes for this. While valid contributions have been made, they went on a bit and obviously I cannot answer the questions properly when we are now in the red sector of the clock to the tune of 1 minute and 45 seconds.

There are 1,800 beds to be provided for emergency sleepers in Dublin. Deputy Coppinger made the point that the former Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government, Deputy Alan Kelly, used to make the same point about the most comprehensive housing programme but he could not have done so because what is in place now is much more comprehensive.

The purpose of having the Cabinet sub-committee is to draw all those people together, namely, the housing unit in the Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government and the relevant personnel who can indicate what has happened about the targets we have set. On 9 December, three further hostels will open in Dublin with 210 beds.

This is a phenomenon, and the supply question, which is one of the few from the Opposition point of view that put its finger on the real problem, must be dealt with because if we do not have supply we cannot deal with those who need these services. Homelessness, rough sleepers, hotel bedrooms, bed and breakfast accommodation and voids coming back in are all part of it. The Business Committee might allow for a regular hour and a half discussion on the progress being made towards housing because this is completely unsatisfactory. Many valid questions are being raised and I do not have time to give Members answers from all the material that is here. We might have an opportunity to do that, which the Minister with responsibility for housing would be quite happy to take up and give people details of any particular areas or issues they raise in respect of housing.