Government continued denial of their housing policy failure ahead of Dáil vote on emergency housing motion – “surreal”.
203 council houses built across Dublin so far this year, only 16 in Dublin City – “how can the government claim their plan is working?”, asks People Before Profit TD, Richard Boyd Barrett.
Government’s rhetoric masks Fine Gael’s real commitment to speculators, landlords and vulture funds
In a statement this morning, ahead of the Dáil vote on the emergency housing motion, which was taken during People Before Profit’s PMB yesterday, Richard Boyd Barrett TD for Dun Laoghaire, who moved the motion and helped organise yesterday’s Raise The Roof demonstration, slammed the government for its “continued denial of their housing policy failure.”
Deputy Boyd Barrett said it was “astonishing and utterly dishonest” after yesterday’s protest for Ministers Murphy and English to claim again today that their housing policy was “working”, when its own figures show only 203 houses were built across all four Dublin Local Authorities in the first half of this year and a pathetic 16 in Dublin City where there are 20,000 households on the waiting list.
Richard Boyd Barrett said: “The government’s promises and expressions of concern are surreal when you look at the actual facts. The number of council houses built so far this year may actually be less than last year’s pathetic number.
“Despite all their talk about the need for affordability and a mix of housing, not only have they delivered negligible amounts of council housing they still have not delivered one affordable home or even come up with a definition of affordability.
“The real story behind Fine Gael’s disastrous housing policy is that they are actually championing the interests of property speculators, landlords and vulture funds who have made obscene profits throughout the duration of this housing crisis. They will not admit this publicly but the facts speak for themselves.
“The government are trying to con the people and doing immense damage to our society, but it is clear from yesterday’s magnificent protest that people can see the reality and are clearly determined to demand a radical change in policy.
“Within the National Housing and Homelessness Coalition, who co-organised yesterday’s protest, we are already discussing plans for another major demonstration before Christmas and further actions and initiatives to pile the pressure on his government until they start to listen.
“The fact that Fine Gael are going to vote against this motion reveals the truth behind all their rhetoric and spin. They are simply unwilling to take the emergency measures that would stop the flow of people into homelessness, freeze rents and dramatically ramp up the direct provision of council and affordable housing – it is simply shameful.”