Labour Youth condemns reappointment of Conor Skehan as Chair of Housing Agency
Labour Youth has today condemned the reappointment of Conor Skehan as Chair of the Housing Agency. Commenting, Labour Youth Chairperson, Chloe Manahan expressed extreme concern over the appointment of anyone who considers the current housing and homelessness crisis as normal and accuses families of “gaming” the system.
“To see Mr. Skehan’s reappointment for another year I s frankly frightening. Normalising homelessness and victim blaming those who live on the streets and in hotels are not the types of behaviour the Irish people expect to see from a person whose role was created to resolve the housing crisis in Ireland. Following a year where the government underdelivered on promises of building new homes and housing people living in hotels and family hubs, this move has confirmed our fears that a blasé policy on housing is set to continue in 2018.
“The comments made by Conor Skehan over the last weeks and months were both incorrect and deeply offensive. In reappointing him, Minister Eoghan Murphy and an Taoiseach Leo Varadkar have tacitly endorsed those totally unacceptable remarks.
“Mr Skehan has not effected adequate progress in his role and has continuously offended victims of homelessness, those working to alleviate the crisis as well as wider Irish society. We strongly encourage Minister Murphy to reconsider his reappointment.”