Paul Gavan (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

The Minister of State is very welcome. We have a housing crisis. It is worth saying that, because it is very clear from the speeches made by both Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil representatives here that they do not believe it. That is absolutely shocking. When Fine Gael came into power, 3,500 people were homeless and now, 13 years later, the figure has gone up to 13,500. That is its record of shame. Yet, unbelievably, Senator Cummins has come in here today to give us a lecture on housing policy. There have been 13 years of abject failure, an increase of 10,000 in homeless people and God knows there are thousands more couch surfing, etc., and this Government is so out of touch that it wants to come in here and give us a lecture on housing policy, having failed absolutely miserably and no more so than in the rental market.

I have to say I was particularly taken and struck by Senator Fitzpatrick's comments. She accused Sinn Féin of undermining our social fabric. Let me tell her what undermines our social fabric. It is a housing crisis in which Government continuously fails to deliver even on its low targets for social and affordable housing. It is a crisis in which, as I give this speech today, I am thinking of the people in the village where I live, who are confronted with rent increases they cannot afford. I am thinking of a young mother with two children who is living in one bedroom in her parents' house, because there is absolutely no possibility for her to find somewhere she can afford to rent. These thousands of examples every day get worse and worse. We know what is happening, which is that young people are locked out of the ability to buy a house because they cannot even afford to rent a house.

The statistics are there and we have quoted them in our motion. Where are seven out of ten people between the ages of 25 and 29 living? They are living at home with their parents. In response to Senator Fitzpatrick, what does that do to the social fabric? The other thing that is very clear from the responses so far, is there is not the width of a cigarette paper of difference between Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael when it comes to housing policy. These are two right-wing parties that have consistently failed the people of Ireland when it comes to housing. They can bluff and bluster all they want about targets. The fact of the matter is the Government has not been hitting its targets. Not only has it not been hitting its targets but when it comes to the targets last year for social affordable housing, the Government cannot even tell us what the completed numbers are. We know it is not hitting its targets, we just do not know how big the gap is going to be. Yet, of course, for this Government, it is all about bluff and bluster. In a few months' time when we have the general election, we can be sure that there will be promises of tax cuts. That will be the Fine Gael agenda for sure, even as the homeless crisis continues to spiral out of control.

We told them not to lift the ban on evictions. We pleaded with them not to lift the ban on evictions, but they did not listen. What has happened since? Thousands more have been added to the homelessness figures. There is failure after abject failure. I am thinking of the people this evening who I know and who come into my clinic and Deputy Quinlivan's clinic in Limerick as well, this could happen anywhere. They simply cannot afford the cost of living. Senator Cummins might be interested to know that rent in Waterford is now €1,537 per month. I do not know if Senator Cummins is proud of that. It has been an 8% increase in the last 12 months and that is what he has presided over.

Consistently, we hear the Government talking about housing as if it is some kind of natural disaster it is valiantly fighting against. Of course, it is nothing of the kind. This is a disaster that has happened as a direct result of Government failures, Government policy, the handing over of the private rental sector to increasing numbers of corporate landlords and the failure to adjust tax rates efficiently to tackle that. There has been failure after failure. Yet, somehow, Government spokespersons are present today and they think can come in and give us a lecture on housing. I welcome the comments that have been made by the other colleagues here from the Opposition. They have all recognised the value of our motion. Yet, the public needs to understand that Fine Gael has dismissed every single word of our motion, because it will not even admit that there is a housing crisis. It will not even admit that their years of failure have to be acknowledged. As we go into the next election, all we hear is more bluff and bluster. What was the line that we heard? "It takes time". Yes, it does take time, Senator Cummins, but after 13 years, I think your time is up. That will do for me.