Mattie McGrath warns Airbnb is no panacea, demands housing fixes
Mattie McGrath spoke on the housing crisis, arguing Airbnbs are not a panacea and urging faster delivery of social housing. He criticised cuts to social housing purchases, highlighted lengthy ISK application delays, and welcomed the appointment of Jonathan Cooney while warning budget resources are limited.
Mattie McGrath challenged the idea that Airbnbs solve the housing shortage. He said Airbnbs are not a panacea, noting many are used for holidays, bring visitors and spending to local areas, and warned that previous closures of bedsets and units had left people homeless.
He said social housing purchases, including tenants in situ, have been reduced significantly this year. McGrath warned that people in long-term rental accommodation through HAP and through raw schemes have lost their places and are devastated by the change.
McGrath criticised slow processing of ISK applications, recounting an example where an application took 29 weeks for 26 houses that were built and ready. He called for a streamlined process - ISK working in tandem with county councils - to ensure connections and approvals are ready when homes are completed.
He welcomed the appointment of Jonathan Cooney as Director of Services and Housing, calling him a visionary for public housing. At the same time McGrath warned that the minister faces tight resources, noting only five million in the Budget this year and saying current cash purchases and social housing acquisitions are not enough.
Airbnb policy questioned
Mattie McGrath challenged the idea that Airbnbs solve the housing shortage. He said Airbnbs are not a panacea, noting many are used for holidays, bring visitors and spending to local areas, and warned that previous closures of bedsets and units had left people homeless.
Reductions in social housing purchases
He said social housing purchases, including tenants in situ, have been reduced significantly this year. McGrath warned that people in long-term rental accommodation through HAP and through raw schemes have lost their places and are devastated by the change.
Operational delays and ISK applications
McGrath criticised slow processing of ISK applications, recounting an example where an application took 29 weeks for 26 houses that were built and ready. He called for a streamlined process - ISK working in tandem with county councils - to ensure connections and approvals are ready when homes are completed.
Leadership appointment and budget constraints
He welcomed the appointment of Jonathan Cooney as Director of Services and Housing, calling him a visionary for public housing. At the same time McGrath warned that the minister faces tight resources, noting only five million in the Budget this year and saying current cash purchases and social housing acquisitions are not enough.
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Transcript
I am delighted to see you in front of this statement. We are all well aware of the housing. It is the single biggest issue, and everybody knows that. I also believe that you think there is a panacea with Airbnbs, and it is not. We had that before in this city where you close down 1,000 bedsets and 1,000 units and put that many people homeless and no place to go. I think you have got it wrong here about the Airbnbs. Some may be, yes, but the vast majority, as I know, are just used for holidays. They are bringing people into the area and spending money in the area as well. Social housing purchases, including tenants in situ, have been reduced significantly this year. While I acknowledge the importance of having to focus on local authority-led social housing bills and the need for properties to go on to the private market, that is a very, very difficult area. The same people in long-term rental accommodation through HAP and through raw schemes for a long time are losing their places, and they are devastated. I want to also welcome the appointment of Jonathan Cooney as the new Director of Services and Housing, a visionary, I call him, and a very good man to deal with for public housing and for people looking for houses. The same front Minister didn't expect to do everything, and we only have five million this year on the Budget, and we are trying to do everything with that, with all the cash purchases, with the social housing acquisitions, and the DPGs and disabilities. And that simply is not enough. Is it going to be blue in the face from talking about it here? We have to do something with ISK and they are too slow to deal with applications. I had an application that really took 29 weeks for 26 houses, built and finished. Great contractor, Mr Flannery, and ready to build but couldn't get the connection. That is certainly not good enough, and we must deal with that. Instead of a one-stop process for the housing with the councils, instead of a fourth stage, we should have ISK and back to the county councils, dealing with that in tandem, and have everything ready to go when the houses are completed. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.