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LAST UPDATE | 28 Mar 2019
THE GOVERNMENT HAS been accused in the Dáil of presiding over a “national scandal” following yesterday’s revelation that the number of homeless people in Ireland exceeded 10,000 for the first time.
The numbers taken over the course of one week in February show that there were 6,480 adults and 3,784 homeless children living in emergency accommodation in the State.
Minister for Housing Eoghan Murphy said this morning that the government is “playing catch up” on the housing crisis but his comments have come under fire in the Dáil this afternoon.
Speaking on RTÉ’s Morning Ireland, Murphy reiterated that the statistics are “hugely disappointing” and said that more positive figures in December and January weren’t reflected in February.
“In December and January, we saw more families exiting than entering emergency accommodation,” he said. “We hoped that’d be a trend… that didn’t happen last month.”
He pointed to the “complex response” to the homelessness and housing crisis being undertaken as part of Rebuilding Ireland. Murphy said the actions being taken by government were having a positive effect but said the situation continues to be “incredibly difficult”.
Speaking in Leader’s Questions this afternoon, Sinn Féin TD Pearse Doherty said Murphy was understating the problem.
“The Minister for Housing described these figures as hugely disappointing, but they’re a lot more than that, they’re an absolute and utter disgrace, what they represent is a national scandal, not just disappointment.”
Eoghan Murphy went on radio this morning, and who did he bat for? Well it was very clear, it wasn’t for the 10,000 people who were homeless in this State, or those that are facing rent hikes or eviction, he batted again as he always does for the landlords, because that’s what he always does. Because that is the side that he is on and that is the side the Fine Gael is on.
In this morning’s interview, the Housing Minister was also asked about other proposals that may help address the current crisis, such as a Sinn Féin bill that would mean tenants can’t be evicted from a buy-t0-let property if that property was being sold.
Murphy said that the government had looked at numerous measures proposed by NGOs and political parties but added there aren’t any “simple measures” that can be introduced.
“We can’t just say if someone is going to sell their home, they have to keep a tenant in place,” he said, but also indicated a lease must be respected.
He said a landlord could be in a situation where they have to sell because they are in debt or in negative equity.
“The fact they would be selling with tenants in situ would mean the property would devalue by between 20-30% potentially, so you could actually be putting them in a very difficult financial position or even into bankruptcy,” Murphy said.
Interviewer Bryan Dobson then put it to the minister that it appeared the government’s priority was to protect landlords, but Murphy disagreed.
“By trying to help one person, you’d be hurting someone else,” he said.
We need landlords. The difficulty at the moment is we’re losing landlords from the sector, and as a result people are finding themselves in housing insecurity and are presenting to emergency accommodation. We have to find a balance in all of these things.
Responding to the latest report from the Residential Tenancies Board, with its designation of two new areas as rent pressure zones, Murphy said these measures are beginning to have a positive effect.
He also said that rent pressure zones – in these areas, rent cannot be increased by more than 4% per annum – would be strengthened through reforms presented to the Dáil.
When Dobson put it to Murphy that Dublin City Council had only built just over 70 social houses last year, the minister said it was an “ideological” point that was being made, and repeated this on a number of occasions.
He said that social houses were delivered through a number of streams, and that people try to “undermine the numbers”.
Murphy closed the interview by saying that while he “a lot of things we’re doing is moving in the right direction, we need to do more”.
In the Dáil, Tánsiste Simon Coveney also defended the government’s record on housing and the minister in particular.
“Mr Murphy is bringing a new approach in relation to protecting tenants next week to Cabinet, and that of course will be tested in this house as it should be,” Coveney said.
But I think it’s important for us to focus on where the problem is. We are delivering more and more social houses now, we are delivering more and more private and affordable houses too. But we are not unfortunately overtaking the pace at which people are coming into homelessness.
“And that is something that the government intends on responding to, to providing more pretections to tenants to keep them in their homes and to keep them out of homelessness.”
In response, Fianna Fáil’s Dara Calleary TD said the government is merely repeating statements it has made in previous years.
“That’s a response you gave in 2016, 2017, 2018. 72 houses, that’s the figure, 72 houses were actually built in Dublin city last year,” he said.
“And the houses under social housing that you’re claiming have been delivered, 64% of them are actually bought off the market, they’re houses that other people are looking for, first time buyers, families and the government is muscling them out of the market.”
- With reporting by Rónán Duffy
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The man was part of a political party that broke a country. We went bankrupt and had to beg for a bail out. He walks around as if he is some hero. We lost 300 hundred thousand young people over seas during this time.And then has the audacity to call out the opposition in ireland who has yet to be in power.
@Jimmy Donovan: well I’m no fan of Fianna Fáil but Sinn Féin are worse – all populist and free houses for everyone and no mention of where the money is going to come from. Fairytale economics.
@Jimmy Donovan: yep, fair point and there is certainly a revision of history at play. However, are SF really the answer? How many young people left the island because of them and what financial gains have they ever brought to the island? Absolutely none of the parties are worthy of our vote and that is the biggest issue for me, some inviduals are, but none of the main parties, none.
@Harry Whelks: this will be changed when reality sets in while in power but I would prefer someone else getting a try after a hundred years of these two
@Harry Whelks: Perhaps the money could come from the same money tree that suddenly appeared for use by FFG …Surely you will recall FFG stated that the same money tree didn’t exist. As for housing FFG certainly failed in that department. You will surely also recall FFG stating borrowing was imprudent….Yet Billions have been borrowed and must be repaid along with the Billions still owed for the gangsterism of the banks and developers facilated by FFG. Bit hypocritical on your part to criticise the opposition.
Martin said he didn’t believe that voters are interested in speculation about politicians’ futures.
“People want us to stay focused on the issues that matter for them on a policy basis. Now I keep telling my colleagues that as well and that to me is important; keep your feet on the ground, and the world changes very quickly.”
They don’t be very focused at all between elections. All business when they need our votes and then spend the next 4 years making excuses on why things are not getting done.
A complete and total shambles.
@David Corrigan: Have you nothing new or interesting to say? The same nonsense every time that everyone says about every government everywhere. How about some policy critique, or my god, even some solutions?
@SYaxJ2Ts: Have you nothing else to do but follow me around? Seriously?
@David Corrigan: you’re not difficult to find, first in with your comments
@SYaxJ2Ts: You really do need to get a life or a hobby at the very least sonny.
@David Corrigan: you know best David
@SYaxJ2Ts: judging by the number of likes u got to David I’d say your position isn’t doing very well
@John Reynolds: I’m not here for likes – just as well says you
One couldn’t believe the time of day from Martin.
He’s a well known liar
@john dowdall: which would’ve made him a suitable candidate
@casio shock: This is the problem. An honest politician will get nowhere
If he told me today was Sunday I’d have to ask someone else
@David O Brien: just make sure there not in fianna gael either! There the one now.
As if he’d have any hope of getting that
@qffaffaf affrafrfraf: i agree. he obviously waited to be told he wasn’t getting the nomination to categorically rule himself out.
Good, can he take himself outta the running in the general election too.
Ah! The park! Watch out Bertie!
I suppose if micheal ran for a position in Europe, the ethics committees might be asking questions about how a developers money could be accidentally lodged into the personal bank account of his wife?
Who ruled him in??? Self infatuation!!
He is vermin
Under this cowboy yes man
According to the central statistics office
The Republic’s national debt stood at €224.8 billion at the end of last year, equating to €43,357 for every man, woman and child in the State, which is high internationally in per-capita terms.19 Oct 2023
What a shame.
Doesn’t represent me , one of the worst politicians ever, can’t be trusted
If sinn Fein do get into power and things don’t work out,so what, haven’t the Fianna failers form when it comes to bankrupting the country,not to talk about corruption
Oh Jesus..that’s a relief…I was worried for a mo.
CROOKS…. the lot of them, they’re all the same… no more free speech snowflake society… looking after the rich ignoring the irish, flooding country with illegals, homeless irish forgotten about no homes for them but if you are an illegal or Ukrainian nazi we’ll house and feed you give you everything you need, I suffer from long term illness and I get 90€ a week, The only hope for me now is going back to work and praying nothing happens me… I’ve been left with no choice but to go back to work and try put my illness to the back of my mind which isn’t easy believe me, while these self entitled crooks make millions at our expense, when is enough jus enough for the irish ppl, why are these crooks never held accountable in this country, you get berated if you’re irish but if its other ppl its gets hidden, how do irish ppl allow this to happen in 2023, have ye not seen the damage these parties are doing with their dictatorship
Aww. So he is going for it then.
Oh go on, give a job…. PLEASE
Hasn’t a brain bloody embarrassing lot
He should defo go for the job.
At last a politician who’s stepping off the gravy train before it’s reached its destination, unlike some previous party leaders et al
have your say