Latest: Government to establish €1.25bn Land Development Agency to tackle housing crisis
The Government plans to establish a new Land Development Agency to tackle the ongoing housing crisis.
At the Fine Gael think in Galway this afternoon, the Taoiseach said the new agency will be handed €1.25bn to build social and affordable homes.
Leo Varadkar says the proposal marks a "step change" in the Government's approach to the housing market.
He believes the move will eventually be seen as being as important as the establishment of the ESB, Aer Lingus or the IDA.
Housing Minister threatens to take powers from local authorities
The Housing Minister has threatened to take powers away from local authorities if they do not ramp up the provision of emergency and social housing.
Hitting out at a number of local authorities, Eoghan Murphy said he would be "calling out" those who have not done enough to tackle the housing and homeless crisis.
Speaking at the Fine Gael think-in in Galway this evening, Mr Murphy said he understands that people are frustrated and are being hurt badly by the crisis and is now ready to invoke emergency powers to deal with a lack of action in some areas.
"I wrote to local authorities yesterday, certain local authorities, to tell them that there are changes that they need to make immediately and if they don't I will have recourse to emergency powers within my Department to step in and take control of some of those functions so that I can be sure that working with the best people possible that we can get those families out of emergency accommodation and get them into homes."
The latest figures show that there were almost 10,000 people living in hotels, B&Bs and emergency hubs in July.
Mr Murphy added: "There are certain local authorities which have not put in place family hubs when they have a large number of families that are self-accommodating. We know that family hubs are the appropriate first response, not hotels."
Mr Murphy said he would be dealing "directly" with local authorities who are still failing to tackle the crisis.
"There are powers available to me under the Housing Acts to be able to do that."
Housing Minister @MurphyEoghan has written to some local authorities threatening to remove powers from them if they do not ramp up housing supply #iestaff pic.twitter.com/YWfZLedOtm
— Elaine Loughlin (@Elaine_Loughlin) September 6, 2018
He said he hoped each of the 31 local authorities around the country would now act quickly adding that progress has been too slow in some areas.
"It's my responsibility to make sure that things happen, the buck does stop with me and it is my entire focus.
"I have got to work with local authorities to make sure that they do this and if they don't do this themselves I do have recourse to actually step in and either appoint a person of bringing a function back into the Department to make sure that is happening in that area," he said.
Groups call for Government action on housing ahead of pre-budget protest
A leading homeless campaigner has said removing the Housing Minister will not solve the crisis.
A number of groups including the Peter McVerry Trust and the Union of Students in Ireland have joined an umbrella campaign against the housing crisis.
Raise the Roof for Housing is calling on people to join a rally outside Leinster House on October 3 ahead of the budget.
Father Peter McVerry said that it is Government policy that needs to change and not ministers.
"Eoghan Murphy is only the mouthpiece for Government policy and it's Government policy that has to change.
"I think we have to continue telling the Government that as far as anyone can see their policies aren't working.
"Really it's a question for me of when will the Emperor come to realise that the Emperor doesn't have any clothes."
Students make up a large portion of the so-called 'hidden homeless' population with many sleeping on friends' couches or commuting long distances.
They said they are sick of being taken advantage of by the Government.
Michelle Byrne from the USI said they are sick of it.
Packed room today at the launch of the #RaiseTheRoof rally. Students are standing up and saying #RaiseTheRoof, not the rents! #RaiseTheRoof quite literally, build them! Let’s #RaiseTheRoof on Leinster House on Oct 3rd. Take action so we don’t become #LockedOut of education! pic.twitter.com/801EHHtKgc
— Aontas na Mac Léinn in Éirinn (@amle_ie) September 6, 2018
"Students Unions have told us about people presenting already that they can't find or afford accommodation, people are going to be sleeping on couches.
"They don't see themselves as homeless because they're not technically on the street.
"We're sick of being taken advantage of by the Government. We haven't seen any increases in support, we have the second highest fees in Europe and now this accommodation crisis."
Varadkar rejects claim Fine Gael does not care about homeless
The Taoiseach has admitted that the housing crisis facing the country is a deep problem for the government.
Leo Varadkar said that the number of people in emergency accommodation is moving in the “wrong direction”, adding that there is “no quick fix” to solving the growing problem.
He rejected claims that Fine Gael does not care about homeless people, adding that the housing problems arise from the last financial crash.
In @GalwayBayHotel for #FGPP18 @FineGael we will a range of issues inc budget2019, Housing, Health, Welfare, Taxation among some of the issues @MichaelRingFG @TonyMcLTD @joecareytd @PaudieCoffey @AnthonyLawlorFG @campaignforleo @SimonHarrisTD @josephamadigan @odonnel pic.twitter.com/XcInKdYhGi
— Paul Kehoe (@campaign4kehoe) September 6, 2018
The party has been heavily criticised for its failure to tackle to the problem, with the latest figures showing that there are 9,891 homeless people living in Ireland.
Speaking at Fine Gael’s Parliamentary Party in Galway, Mr Varadkar said: “I don’t think the rise in the number of people in emergency accommodation can be described as progress, it’s evident to everyone that we are still going in the wrong direction when it comes to emergency accommodation.
“We’re no means in denial about that, but it is something we are working on – and just like the unemployment crisis or the economic crisis, it can take time for policies to work and for people to see results in their lives – but it is something we are determined to do, and we can see progress in other areas.”
The housing crisis will form part of the discussions at the two-day event.
The Fine Gael Think In event takes place before the Dail returns later this month.
Mr Varadkar said he understands why people are sceptical that his party can solve the problem, but added that there are no quick-fix solutions.
“The truth is there is no quick fix and I think the vast majority of people do understand that. This is a housing crisis, housing shortage that has been emerging for a very long time.
“People who think there is some quick fix solution, they are not telling the public the truth.”
He said the number of rough sleepers is down by 40%, adding that the government has built 4,4000 new home in the last three months.
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