Letters to the Editor: No place for populism in solution to housing crisis

Sinn Féin's Pearse Doherty was wrong to claim the Government had voted to make people homeless, says one correspondent.

Some balance needs to be brought to the discussion over the past number of weeks about the lifting of the eviction ban. Sinn Féin deputy leader Pearse Doherty’s claim that the “Government had voted to make people homeless” is just a step too far. I do not have any party allegiance but nobody in government votes to make people homeless. The media and politicians, particularly the opposition politicians, have been populist and unbalanced during this period.

I am a small landlord, having purchased an apartment with a view to: (i) providing either a pension in later life or (ii) to have a future home for one of our children.

Everybody agrees there is a housing crisis. As is normally the case, those complaining have a ready solution to the problem — somebody else needs to sort the problem — not me.

At present it appears that the landlord should shoulder a large portion of the solution: (i) eviction bans; (ii) cap on rentals (no floor on the rentals during the 2008–2014 period when rentals were substantially below mortgage repayments); (iii) high personal tax rates often leading to cash required to top-up mortgage payments; (iv) PRTB favouring the tenant in disputes, eg, damaging property, late or non-payment of rentals.

Many politicians quote the European model and security of tenure: In Europe the protection and maintenance of property by tenants is also protected.

I would like the following to be considered during this housing crisis:

According to the 2022 census, there are 2,124,590 permanent dwellings in the country. Let all those who have been part of the debate offer up one room in their property for the duration of the housing crisis. Should they then be entitled to avail of the €14,000 tax free rental or should they join the personal landlord and pay 52% tax on net rental? Should the house owner be subject to the same issues that a landlord is faced with re non maintenance of property by the tenant and face a nine-month court battle if the tenant refuses to pay rent. These advocates of an eviction ban will have a justifiable right to participate in the debate as they are now contributing to the solution. Very few have done so to date.

Other points to be considered:

• This is a supply issue — there are too few properties available for rental: It is reported that 41,000 landlords have left the market in the last few years. Why? How many people know somebody who has purchased a property to rent in the past few years? Try looking at the landlords rights versus those of the tenant. More will exit and I shall be one of those. How many politicians, who are advocating retaining the ‘temporary eviction ban’, have made a personal contribution during this crisis.
• Too few housing units being built: Why? Costs and building regulations increased. When will our planning laws be addressed? How can somebody in Donegal have the right, for a small fee, object to a planning application in Wexford and for a further small fee appeal to An Bord Pleanaile and delay the process by 18-36 months?
• Building Regulations: In the 1980s, there were hundreds of bedsits in Dublin and other large cities and towns. These were deemed unsafe and did not meet new regulations. What were our homeless numbers in the 1980s. Bedsits were far from perfect but were bedsits worse than being homeless?
• The discrepancy between “landlord taxation categories”: Irish Collective Asset-management Vehicle (ICAV— some of the larger international corporate entities) pay close to 0%. Homeowners can earn up to €14,000 tax free. Companies pay 25%, plus a potential top up to 40%. The private landlord pays 52%-54%.
• Family support: A number of the cases being discussed relate to single parents worried about loosing “their” home. Where is the family support? Where is the father? Is there not some obligation on the family, particularly the father, during this crisis? This may be an unpopular comment in the current environment but why should the burden fall totally on the government and the taxpayer. There needs to be some personal responsibility. I am a strong advocate of supporting those who “cannot” support themselves but we need to have a discussion about those who “won’t” support themselves.

I expect much of the above will provoke criticism. However, it is time there was a mature and balanced discussion where all sides are considered equally. I appeal to opposition politicians to drop the populist vote chasing and joining in a constructive discussion to help find a solution.

Liam Madden

Castlemartyr

Co Cork

Out of touch

Eoin Ó Broin should resign from politics as he doesn’t seem to understand the housing crisis, even though he’s Sinn Féin’s housing spokesperson.

Ó Broin doesn’t recognise the invaluable service provided by poorly paid gardaí. Many Garda stations have to provide shelter for the homeless. The guards already have too much to do without providing accommodation. He should understand that the present crisis is caused by government and multi-property owners. Why doesn’t he depict these people in his childish tweets?

Dr Florence Craven

Bracknagh

Co Offaly

Lifting eviction ban was unacceptable

The government’s decision to lift the ban on evictions is deeply regrettable and shameful. It will increase the already high level of homelessness, as no preparatory work has been carried out to provide alternative accommodation for the vulnerable individuals and families who will now be left without a roof over their heads.

I do not accept the arguments which have attempted to justify this deeply harsh and inhuman treatment of our fellow citizens. The Government’s decision here is deeply damaging and is simply unacceptable.

Tomas O hArrachtain

Droim Caorthainn

Cill na Seanratha

Buy now for later

With regards to the family in Cork who may have to emigrate because of eviction in August — ‘I don’t see any other way out of this situation’  — why don’t they approach their local council and minister to buy this home for them? It’s clear that this family, with a child with special needs, will have to be rehoused eventually, so why not purchase this home with a view to them buying it in the future?

Ann O Halloran

Limerick

Use huts for houses

There is a very simple solution to emergency housing: Let the government build Nissen huts, half-cylindrical metal buildings used as military barracks, on government (people’s) land. A team of six men can erect a Nissen hut in two hours. Obviously, the foundations, water, and electricity would need to be prepared, but that can be done in a very quick time.

John Fair

via email

Betting on the Don

Bookmakers may be unwilling to bet either way on how the New York case will transpire — or even any of the other myriad cases against Donald Trump — but ordinary punters might be willing to have a few bob on a horse called Doonbeg Don — owned by the appropriately named Freebooter Syndicate — running in a point-to-point meeting in Mallow on Monday.

Declan Colley

Cork

Dishonourable front page headline

On March 29, I collected my copy of the Irish Examiner from my local newsagents and to say I was annoyed with the front page headline — ‘Badge of dishonour’ — is to put it in its mildest.

I certainly would have expected more from a paper with so many excellent people. The headline is cheap piggy-backing on the headline used by the offended female members of the defence forces. As a former member of the Irish Aer Corps I regard the headline as disgraceful and reflects badly on the person(s) responsible.

To cast a net over all those who have served with and many who gave their lives in service, it certainly deserves an apology. However, given the thought that went into the offending headline I can only hope the benefit of hindsight may see some semblance of apology.

Tony Fagan

Enniscorthy

Co Wexford

Greed is killing us

Regarding the recommendation to wear masks at beaches to avoid breathing in microplastics — ‘Masks vital at seaside, says environmental group’ ( Irish Examiner, April 1).

We have so much capacity to change our behaviour yet we do not. We have do much capacity to change our “needs” yet we do not. Our species is a family but we are killing ourselves in so many ways and taking everything with us. We can change, we can “sacrifice” our spending sprees, our new fast fashion outfits, but we don’t.

We’re driven by consumerism, our greed is killing us. We must stop. We must change our economy so it is based on sustainability not growth. We’ll drown in our own waste. I’m doing my best but plastic is unavoidable we need industry to lead.

L Ramsay

Dublin

Good Friday

The death of Jesus Christ commemorated by Christians today, Good Friday, is not just an historical event but is a reminder to our world that the God who suffered and died on a cross 2,000 years ago still suffers in our world. This crucified God is not to be found in the world of those searching for the miraculous but in the lives of the majority of the world’s innocent people who continue to suffer deprivation and violence in an unjust world.

Brendan Butler

Drumcondra

Dublin 9

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