Homelessness described as 'social stain of this generation' by FF leader
The Fianna Fáil leader has said Government is unable to cut through bureaucracy to solve the housing and homelessness crisis, which has left almost 9,000 without a home this Christmas.
Mr Martin called on the Government to “intervene” and dramatically increase the amount of social housing local authorities are building, while the State must also become involved in constructing affordable housing.
Yesterday, the Knights of St Columbanus distributed 3,500 free Christmas Day meals in Dublin, through sit- down meals in the RDS, and takeaway meals delivered to shelters and to those in need.
In an interview with the , Mr Martin said housing and health are now the most important issues for his party when it comes to the confidence and supply agreement that is keeping the Government in place.
His comments came after Fianna Fáil back-bencher Eugene Murphy claimed that the lack of delivery on housing could be the issue that brings down the Government in 2018.
Mr Martin said: “We are committed to the confidence and supply; we want to see it through, but obviously it depends on delivery of the policy areas that are contained within the confidence and supply.
“So we are not giving anybody a blank cheque for the next long period; we are taking this step by step. We got through the budget; it took a good year and a bit to get things going on mental health, to get things going on the drugs treatment fund. But it’s slow and that’s frustrating.
“Ministers don’t seem to be able to get through the bureaucracy and get things done.”
Mr Martin added that Fianna Fáil now sees it as its “obligation” to get movement on the housing and homelessness emergency, adding: “It is without question the social stain of this generation.”
November homelessness figures showed a 4% increase on the previous month, with 5,524 adults and 3,333 children without a home and living in emergency accommodation such as hotels, hostels, and B&Bs.
At the same time rents and the price of houses have also been climbing.
Mr Martin said: “There has been an absence of real commitment to building council houses. I don’t think they wanted to build social houses on any sufficient scale. We have been waiting a year and a half now for an affordable housing scheme.
“People can’t buy houses now at the prices that they are at in Cork and Dublin. So basically the State must now intervene in the market, build council houses, but also build affordable houses.”
Last week, Housing Minister Eoghan Murphy said that 1,000 social homes have been completed, while 3,600 homes are on site, with another 2,000 homes ready to go on site.
But the minister also admitted that it will take a considerable amount of time before enough houses are built to cope with demand and solve the housing crisis.
He said: “It’s an absolute priority for Government to fix this crisis and to fix the problem and it’s going to be with us until we get those homes built.”
Mr Martin said he was “taken aback” when he visited Dublin’s Capuchin Day Centre recently, claiming “no progress” on a request for a childcare worker and social worker had been made since his previous visit in April.
“The childcare worker is more pressing because there were worries around the child protection issues for homeless children living in hotels, but even in the context when they come in to have meals,” he said.
“I am just wondering, why someone in authority and the ministers are included, didn’t just say to officials ‘make these professional appointments. Get them in there and make them happen’.”
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