Latest Rebuilding Ireland figures on social housing output confirms overwhelming and dangerous reliance on private sector continues
Reliance on HAP, RAS and Leasing continues to cost the state a fortune and guarantees housing and homeless crisis continues
In a statement, this afternoon Richard Boyd Barrett TD slammed the latest Rebuilding Ireland report which shows, once again, that the government continues to rely on the private sector to deliver social housing. This policy means the state pays a fortune into the pockets of developers, vulture funds and landlords while the homeless and housing crisis continues.
The Rebuilding Ireland Quarter 2 Status report shows that 78% of the so-called housing “solutions” that have been delivered are RAS, HAP and Leasing. These all rely on the private sector and do not provide secure housing for those waiting.
The recent figures of 7.6% rent increase across the country will exacerbate the situation and cause more evictions.
Richard Boyd Barrett said: “Today’s Rebuilding Ireland report and the rent increase figures show the utter bankruptcy of the government’s housing policy. 78% of the housing “solutions” are private sector and provide absolutely no security for those in need of homes. The figure of 7.6% rent increases across the country will mean more evictions. This combination of factors creates the “perfect storm” that guarantees the continuation of the housing and homeless crisis.
“The only way to solve the crisis is a dramatic shift in policy. The government needs to break its addiction to the private sector and start an immediate emergency house building programme, call an immediate halt to economic evictions, bring in actual rent controls and enshrine the right to housing in our constitution.
“The way we defeated government policy on water charges was by a mass movement of people on the streets, we need the same kind of show of people power to defeat the failed housing policy. We are calling people to join the National Demonstration organised by the Housing and Homelessness Coalition next Wednesday, October 3rd, at 12.30 outside the Dáil.”
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