David Cullinane (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

But I am politicising this. The housing crisis, with people sleeping in cars and people in emergency accommodation, did not happen by accident. It happened because of Government policy and neglect. It happened because the State has not built social housing. We have surrendered social housing to the private sector. This was done by the previous Government under Part V of the Planning and Development Act 2000. While an element of that was necessary, almost all social housing construction stopped once Part V came on stream. Since then, the State has not built any social housing. The majority of people have been left to the mercy of private landlords through the HAP and the rental accommodation scheme, RAS. As we have stated in the House every week for the past number of years, most people who are in this situation cannot find private rented accommodation or landlords who will sign up to these schemes. While all of this was happening, nothing was done to increase the supply of social and affordable housing that our citizens needed. This has led to increased homelessness and a housing crisis.

I am glad that the Government is at least accepting that there is a crisis now, but we need investment. The Government parties' election mantra is about cutting taxes left, right and centre. They are not discussing the need to invest in housing, health care or the social services that people need. A debate on housing in required, and it will be held over the next five weeks as part of the election campaign.

I will make no apologies for making this a political issue, because that is what it is. The non-provision of State housing is clearly a political issue as well as the political responsibility of the parties in government that created this crisis. Some of us did not need to see a "Prime Time" programme to understand the seriousness of the issue.