Housing report - State must take duties seriously

The annual report of the national housing agency, Threshold, published today, highlights the need for radical action to halt the growing number of slums that are developing.

People are being compelled to lives in substandard conditions while local authorities are essentially ignoring their complaints. These authorities were clearly ducking their responsibilities in relation to substandard housing conditions in 2004.

More than 20,000 people sought help, but less than 5% of 150,000 dwellings were inspected. Some 30% of those inspected dwellings were found to be below the prescribed minimum standard, but only four landlords were prosecuted.

At the same time, 271 people faced illegal eviction. Our record in the whole area is frankly one of which we cannot be proud. The figures make pathetic reading, because the level of inspections demonstrates a glaring lack of commitment, as does the meagre level of just four prosecutions. Together, these statistics represent a freighting level of incompetence on the part of local authorities, which have been evading their statutory obligation to inspect privately rented dwellings.

The Residential Tenancies Act, passed into law during 2004, was supposed to herald a new era for landlords and tenants in Ireland by reforming residential and tenant law. The Government's initiative improved the rights of tenants, but has done little yet for the quality of housing, according to the Threshold report. People have been turning to Threshold for help. During 2004 there was a 36% increase in the number or requests for help from people living in unfit housing.

"It is totally unacceptable that people should have been forced to live in windowless flats, sleep in bedrooms covered in mildew or make do without hot running water," said Aideen Hayden, the chairwoman of Threshold. "Is it acceptable that in this day and age people are expected to live in one room with a toilet opening off it, and that room is their kitchen, living room, dining room and their bedroom?"

Such conditions are clearly unacceptable in an enlightened age. Threshold insists culpable landlords should not only to be "named and shamed" but also prosecuted, because the pathetic number of prosecutions sends the wrong message to the rental sector.

Those shameless landlords providing substandard accommodation should be prosecuted, to show the State is ready to take its responsibilities seriously in order to ensure that existing standards are met and that new standards are introduced to reflect today's living standards. Vast improvements have been made during the past half-century in inner cities. But this is mainly a reflection of the low standards that existed at the time. Today's report highlights the plight of families renting unsuitable accommodation in inner city apartment blocks.

Cramped inner city apartments are unsuited for children, who have little or no storage space for toys, or bicycles. As a result these are likely to develop into slums, according to the Threshold report. This must not be allowed to happen.