Fr Peter McVerry: Keeping universal social charge ‘could solve homelessness crisis’ within 5 years

Keeping the universal social charge could eliminate homelessness within five years, a leading campaigner has claimed.

Fr Peter McVerry, who has worked with the homeless in Dublin for more than 30 years, has called on the Government to keep the controversial charge to fund the construction of badly-needed social housing.

His comments come ahead of a rally to be held next week which will call on the Government to declare the housing crisis a national emergency.

Charities working in the homeless sector and opposition politicians say that almost a year on from the death of Johnathon Corry little has been done: around 80 families are entering emergency accommodation in Dublin alone each month.

Fr McVerry said that retaining the USC and funneling it into building homes would address the problem.

“If the Government abolishes the USC, they will be depriving the exchequer of €4bn a year, over five years that €20bn you could eliminate the social housing waiting list and solve homelessness with €20bn. I think we have a crisis that is simply not being recognised,” he said.

Social Democrats TD Catherine Murphy said it did not make sense to give back money to those on comfortable incomes while the country had a homelessness crisis to deal with.

She said: “Progressive taxation systems should always have people who are earning the most, paying the most.

“If there are issues to be resolved, which clearly there are in relation to housing and other matters, it doesn’t make sense to give money back to people who are doing very well at a time when you are putting people up in hotels. It isn’t ever a cost- effective measure.”

Ms Murphy added: “There is money available in other quarters, for example the European Investment bank, we were talking about that three years ago.

“There is money there that could be invested and it’s a matter of getting the right mix. Not resolving this actually makes it more expensive to resolve, it’s stupidity.”

Fr McVerry said that all government departments, councils and other agencies must work together to solve the homeless problem and it cannot just be left on the door of the Environment Minister Alan Kelly’s department.

“Mr Kelly is responsible for homelessness but he cannot solve homelessness on his own, and he is frustrated,” Fr McVerry said.

“He wanted to bring in rent certainty, where rent certainty would be linked to the consumer price index, Michael Noonan wouldn’t let him. He would like the rent supplement increased, Joan Burton won’t do it.

“He wants the local authorities to take a bigger role in this; most of the local authorities don’t want to deal with social housing.

“So he is frustrated because there are so many other players who have to play their role and they are not doing it. So my criticism is not of Alan Kelly but of the Government as whole.”