People Before Profit Right to Housing Bill to be debated next week – “could finally herald a new direction for housing policy by placing the common good and the right to secure affordable housing ahead of profit interests”
In a statement this evening, Richard Boyd Barrett TD announced that the People Before Profit, Right to Housing Bill has been selected to be debated in the Dáil next week.
If this bill were passed through all stages, there would have to be a referendum to enshrine the Right to Housing in the constitution.
Despite numerous EU charters and conventions that have espoused the Right to Housing, successive Irish governments have always opted to ensure that this does not become a fundamental right in the Irish constitution.
The People Before Profit Right to Housing Bill was defeated in the last Dáil in 2017 but Richard Boyd Barrett TD resubmitted it to the Bills Lottery last autumn and is hopeful that, considering the Programme for Government gives a commitment to a referendum on housing, that this bill will garner more support this time.
He said: “Our housing crisis continues to get worse with 50 people having died in homelessness so far this year.
“The housing policy that is being pursued by the current government will just deliver further homelessness, evictions, housing lists, spiralling rents and house prices.”
“The passing of our bill could finally herald a new direction for housing policy by placing the common good and the right to secure affordable housing ahead of profit interests. We are hopeful that, considering the commitment in the programme for government to a referendum on housing, that the government will not oppose our bill next week.”
Notes: Link to bill-