Affordable/cost rental must be a priority for the Government
Labour Housing Spokesperson, Senator Rebecca Moynihan says the Government must prioritise cost/affordable rental.
Senator Moynihan was speaking after the release of CSO figures showing that people who live in rental accommodation are at most risk of consistent poverty. The CSO analysis shows that 13.5% of those who live in rental accommodation are in consistent poverty as opposed to a mere 1.8% in privately owned dwellings.
Senator Moynihan said:
“People in the rental sector and in particular the private rental market are amongst the most vulnerable in society and this has been confirmed by both the CSO figures and the fact that most people entering homelessness come from the private rented sector.
“The Government need to place much more of an emphasis on cost and affordable rental and this is confirmed by the CSO figures that were published today. The 400 units announced by Minister O’Brien in Budget 2021 to be delivered through the AHB sector are not enough and do not even have a timeline for delivery.
“Labour believes that Housing should be delivered directly by the State. In our alternative budget we set out plans to seek financing to spend €500m on 4,000 affordable or cost rental homes. Publicly owned land needs to be used for the cost rental development of housing.
“People at most risk of homelessness come from the private rented sector and we will likely see an increase in homelessness again once the Government remove the moratorium on evictions and PUP payments expire next year.
Senator Moynihan continued:
“The CSO figures again reiterate the stark situation of consistent entrenched poverty and deprivation for many living in the private rented sector. The Government’s weak commitment to cost rental with only 400 units without any timeline for delivery is a drop in the ocean and will not suffice. If we are to meaningfully reduce the numbers living in poverty, then we need vastly enhanced state investment in affordable rental on state owned land.