Richard Boyd Barrett: Condemns Housing Policy, Demands 20,000 Homes
Richard Boyd Barrett spoke on 3 Dec 2019 about the housing crisis, condemning current policy and calling for at least 20,000 public and affordable houses to be built each year. He accused reliance on HAP, private landlords and vulture funds of deepening homelessness and unaffordable rents and said those policies have shameful consequences for families and children.
Policy failure and human impact
He said the issue was not personal to an individual mentioned in the debate but a failed policy that has left almost 4,000 children suffering circumstances no child should face. He added that thousands of young people, mothers and families, tens of thousands couchsurfing or on waiting lists, and those in expensive rented accommodation threatened with eviction are being put through intolerable conditions.
Opposition proposals and parliamentary votes
He outlined that opposition members had put forward bills on the right to housing, measures to stop evictions on the grounds of sale, motions to stop land hoarding and property speculation, and proposals for a genuinely affordable housing scheme. He said those bills and motions were voted against.
Demand for large-scale public building
He argued the solution is to build at least 20,000 public and affordable houses a year for the next five years and that transitional measures must not replace that building programme. He criticised the published plan 'Rebuilding Ireland' and said three quarters of the plan relies on vulture funds and landlords who profit from the crisis.
Local example and rents
He cited Dunleary Ratdown as an example, saying only two council houses would be built there in 2020 and that rents averaged €2,000 a month, unaffordable for ordinary working people. He said reliance on HAP and private landlords is not working and that current policy must end.
Parliamentary position and support for the motion
He concluded that, because of these policy failures and the human impact described, he would support the motion under debate and called for a change in housing policy.
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This isn't about Owen Murphy as an individual, it's not personal, it's about a policy that has failed and about the shameful consequences of that where almost 4,000 children are suffering circumstances that no child should have to suffer and indeed it is many more than 4,000 because some eventually get out of homelessness but more come in. So thousands of young people and children and mothers and families and thousands more who are couchsurfing, tens of thousands more who are on waiting lists or who are in expensive rented accommodation where they are threatened with the possibility of eviction and have no security are being put through things that no family and no child should have to be put through and your policies have generated that situation. You say that the opposition don't put forward alternatives, that's dishonest, so stop saying it. We have put forward bills on the right to housing, which you voted against. We've put forward bills to stop evictions on the grounds of sale, which you voted against. We put forward motions to stop land hoarding and property speculation and to introduce a genuinely affordable housing scheme. You voted against it and multiple motions and bills have been put by the opposition to that effect. What needs to be done? We need 20,000 public and affordable houses at least built a year for the next five years and in addition other measures in the transition. But those transitionary measures must not be a substitute for building the public and affordable housing that we need. But sadly, the transitionary measures are actually your policy. They're not temporary, they're not transitionary, they are the policy and that's why we have a housing crisis. And you only have to read Rebuilding Ireland. It's not that you're not just meeting your targets, it's that your targets are the problem. Because three quarters of your plan to deal with the housing crisis is reliant on vulture funds and landlords who have no interest in solving that crisis, but are actually profiting and profiting very handsomely from that crisis. In fact, the worse the crisis gets, the more money they make. That's the reality and your policy has facilitated. Is it slowly getting better? Well, let me tell you about Dunleary Ratdown. Do you know how many council houses will be built next year in 2020 in Dunleary Ratdown? Council houses? Two. Two. And that is very considerably worse than the year before where the figures were abysmal as well. So it's getting worse in Dunleary Ratdown. And rents are now at an average of €2,000 a month. Who could afford that? Who could afford that except very, very rich people? No ordinary working person can afford that. That is the mess you've got us into because of your reliance on HAPs and the private landlords. It isn't working, Minister. And the policy has to go. And that's why we'll be supporting this motion. Am I going to inject the policy? Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.
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