Minister Murphy avoiding realities of the housing crisis

Labour Party Housing spokesperson, Jan O’Sullivan TD, has accused Minister Murphy of avoiding the harsh realities of the housing crisis.

Deputy O’Sullivan said: 

“This morning on RTÉ Radio, Minister for Housing, Eoghan Murphy, stated that while homeless figures are going to rise, his policies to solve the housing crisis are working. I’m not sure what Minister Murphy counts as progress but homeless figures on the rise is not an example of his policies working.

“Minister Murphy doesn’t seem to realise the harsh realities of the housing crisis. In the last month alone, we have seen families sleep in Garda stations to avoid sleeping on the streets and protestors occupy buildings that have been lying vacant. Every month the homeless figures are rising and the numbers of children homeless are rising, this is not a sign that Rebuilding Ireland is working.

“What we need to see now is a more urgent response from the State. The failure to roll out rapid build housing is an example that hasn’t been explained and would go some way as a short term solution.

“Also as an immediate reaction we need to see an aggressive effort to bring vacant and empty houses back into use in the coming weeks and months so that homes can be provided to families.

“These families and the children affected are in truly precarious situations, filled with anxiety about the future that no child should have to endure and the Minister’s interview this morning will do nothing to ease this anxiety.

“The State is responsible for addressing this and the Minister must respond with emergency measures.”