The new Programme for Government published this afternoon is an abject failure to offer solutions to the housing emergency and health crisis.
The annual target for new social housing has increased just marginally from 10,000 to 12,000 homes, far below what is required to begin addressing the housing emergency.
Richard Boyd Barrett TD said, ‘The Programme for Government acknowledges the need to double housing output but is only promising a tiny increase in the targets for new social housing and makes no commitment whatsoever on increasing targets on new affordable housing. Critically there is no plan to significantly increase state capacity to build social and affordable homes, meaning that the government’s housing targets are completely aspirational.
‘It is also worth noting that there are no meaningful commitments to control rents which are completely out of control. Adults stuck living at home with their parents or paying a huge portion of their income in rent will despair at this Programme for Government and the complete lack of hope it offers them.
‘The health section of the Programme for Government is also incredibly disappointing, and very significantly it fails to include a commitment to abandon the ‘pay and numbers’ recruitment embargo in the health service or to implement safe staffing levels. This is despite the INMO, Fórsa and the Medical Laboratory Scientists Association all recently voting for industrial action over inadequate and unsafe staffing and the ‘pay and numbers' strategy.’
On international matters, it is deeply concerning that the commitment to implement the Occupied Territories Bill is very vague, as are commitments for other sanctions against Israel for its genocidal campaign in Gaza. The plan to 'reform’ the Triple Lock can be viewed as nothing other than a clear threat to our neutrality.
The commitment to give effect to the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance ‘Working Definition of Antisemitism’ is an extremely dangerous move. The IHRA definition collapses the distinction between antisemitism and legitimate criticism of Israel’s apartheid regime and occupation of Palestine.
The incoming government offers no hope for an end to the housing and health crises, and it is clearly preparing a renewed assault on Irish neutrality and on the pro-Palestine movement in this state. These dangerous moves will be resisted inside and outside the Dáil.