Calling on older people to split their homes into apartments without a plan or access to finance will not work
Calling on older people to split their homes into apartments without a plan or access to finance will not work - The Labour Party
- Announcing resizing measures without specific targeted plan condescending
Labour’s housing spokesperson Conor Sheehan TD said without access to grants and finance, the Government’s downsizing plan is doomed to fail.
Deputy Sheehan said:
“There are no easy ways out of the housing crisis, but I really fear that there is no joined up thinking within the Department of Housing when it comes to any policy approach.
“Some people may welcome the opportunity to redesign for access to the ‘rent a room scheme’, but it simply cannot be about forcing older people, who have worked their whole lives, to pick up the pieces of this Government’s mess.
“Without access to grants and financing, redesigning homes to rent out rooms and get people into housing will not be viable for older people. There needs to be greater thought put into the scheme from the perspective of a prospective renter too. To make it a long term, viable option, most renters would seek to have their own separate entrance and privacy.
“Ultimately we need to build more affordable and cost rental homes for people – both to rent and to buy. But equally, we need to see a proper mix of housing – one bed, three bed, apartments and semi-ds. There are much greater issues in housing that this Government needs to solve than any attempt to force older people to downsize or resize.”