Sinn Féin junior Housing spokesperson Deputy Dessie Ellis said today that the reliance on Rapid Housing Build in Minister Simon Coveney’s action plan on housing is unrealistic given the difficulties that the Government has had to date with similar builds on a smaller scale.

The Dublin North-West TD said:

“Minister Coveney’s action plan on housing and homelessness launched today is unclear in sections on how he will actually deal with the housing crisis. The latest Government figures in the action plan showed that in May there were 1054 families homeless across the state; last month saw an increase in these figures.

“These plans to deal with this crisis in the action plan for housing and homelessness are based in part on the rapid build housing plan. Notwithstanding the unrealistic targets set for completion of the rapid housing build, the plan is also unclear on if the tenants moved into these rapid housing units are there on a temporary or permanent basis. Adding to that uncertainty is the number of finished units in three years can be seen as unrealistic, especially compared to experience of the previous plan.

“The action plan today outlines how 1500 rapid housing units will be finished by 2018. We have seen some of this before as there was a rapid-delivery housing programme rolled out in October 2015 for homeless families then residing in hotels and B&B’s by Alan Kelly, which was to deliver 500 units by the end of this year.

“However, in an answer to a Parliamentary Question Minister Coveney told me last month that out of the 500 promised, 22 were actually built so far, with the possibility of 171 of being finished by the end of the year. In realistic terms, the completion of 1500 in three years has to be taken with a pinch of salt. At this moment, we are nowhere near completing the previous plan for rapid build housing and that’s before even we start this new one.”

Sinn Féin TD for Dublin North West, Dessie Ellis has called on the government to start to help working families in a real sense and not just to talk about it. “We are living in a society where it’s beyond the monetary means for families to maintain a basic standard of living. The cost of living is through the roof with high rents, rising prices in childcare, insurance hikes and we have hikes in bin charges, property tax and water charges. “
Deputy Ellis continued; “The survey from the credit unions today puts extra pressure again on families. The Irish League of Credit Unions survey found that 31% of parents find themselves in debt to over back to school costs, which have increased year on year since 2012 and now cost €967 for a child at primary school while sending a child back to secondary school will cost €1474. The cut the Back to School Clothing and Footwear Allowance in 2014 by one third for primary school and secondary school pupils are crippling families across this state, particularly those on low incomes and Sinn Féin has consistently called for measures that will help ease that burden. The first step is to reverse the cuts in the back to school allowance and extend the School Meals Programme by 40%, increased capitation to primary and secondary schools by 10% over a Dáil term and an increase in the School Books Grant by 30%. These actions would go some way in alleviating pressures on families.”

Speaking in Leinster House last week Sinn Féin TD for Dublin North West Dessie Ellis called on the Minister Coveney to stop talking and take action on the housing crisis. Deputy Ellis said “One of the greatest failures of government and society has been the housing crisis. People have a right to a home, a right to a shelter for them and their children, it is a terrible indictment of society as a whole that people are living and sleeping on the streets, in cars, on sofas or in any nook and cranny they can find. There is no sense of urgency from this government. But un-fortunately homelessness is the most obvious expression of the crisis, how many families are sleeping in a friend’s or family’s front room. How many people are on the edge of homelessness, in mortgage arrears wondering and worrying when they will be turfed out of their homes? What kind of society are we living in; the cost of living is creating a class of people that can’t survive even when they are working. High rents, rising prices in childcare, insurance hikes and we have hikes in bin charges, property tax and water charges. This country under Fine Gael is a country for rich people.

Sinn Fein’s spokesperson on housing continued. “We need a change of attitude and a sense of urgency that is why we cannot rely on the private sector. The only answer is for the establishment of a strategic planning national housing corporation which would be involved in all elements of policy, design and the planning process for future housing needs. This would plan house building in a proper manner and speed up the planning process. We need to build more social houses which in itself will bring down rental prices and provide for our hard pressed families. You keep telling us money is not an issue or a problem yet we hear about fiscal rules and stability, it is time to declare an emergency crisis. Some quick solutions are easily achievable the 10% for social housing from part 5 is totally inadequate. Compulsory Purchase Orders’ must also be looked at more closely as my experience is one of houses lying idle for many years, your department needs to talk to DCC as in my area we have houses lying idle for over ten years. It’s just not good enough we need to act now because if we don’t we will still be here in 10 years talking about the same thing.”

This week in the Dáil Sinn Féin tabled a Bill which would protect workers who are on low hour contracts. These workers, mainly in the retail sector, are faced daily with precarious conditions, contracts which have them on 15 hours a week when they really work 30 and 40, conditions that make it next to impossible to plan for the future – kids, mortgage, childcare etc.

Sinn Féin’s Bill provides that a worker, or their union representative, would be entitled, after six months of continuous employment, to make a request to the employer to be moved to an increased weekly band of hours.

Last night Fianna Fáil, in a pathetic attempt to play politics with people’s livelihoods, indicated their intent to block this Bill when it comes to a vote on Thursday. Just like they did with the scrapping of water charges and reversal of bin charge hikes.

Sinn Féin TD Dessie Ellis has welcomed the Minister Simon Coveney’s announcement of an allocation of funding of €22 million to be provided for the development of Dominick St.
Deputy Ellis said:
“When developed, the new apartments will facilitate the re-housing of 50 households from the existing west side blocks into the newly built, high quality homes. The new development will also create 22 new homes for people on the Council’s housing list. The Department will be providing €21.615m for the residential element and €540,000 towards community facilities as part of the development.
“This is a very welcome development especially for those who have been waiting for years for the regeneration of the north inner city complex. However, for this to be a success full community, consultation needs to be undertaken from the outset.”

Today we launched our manifesto to deliver a fair recovery for ordinary people – putting money back into our public services is an essential part of our plan. Michael Noonan previously said that the USC was a ‘permanent feature’ of the tax system. Now he’s saying he wants to abolish it. FG/LAB will say anything to get back into power.

To get rid of the USC in its entirety would be unfair and reckless. The move benefits the better off a lot more than someone on an average wage and will mean that some high earners will be more than €10,000 better off while someone who earns €18,000 a year will be about €100 a year better off. It also involves taking the equivalent of the entire health and education budgets out of the tax system over five years.

Sinn Féin councillor and general election candidate for Dublin North West Cathleen Carney Boud has criticised John Lyons’ statement regarding jobs, which she believes demonstrates that once again the Labour Party is being the master of deceit.

Cllr Carney Boud said:

“Labour’s job figures don’t add up for two reasons.

Firstly it’s projections for investment in jobs are based on their projections of the fiscal space which has already proven to be wrong.

Secondly Labour are masters of massaging the unemployment figures which don’t show the true picture. When we deduct the amount of people on fruitless job activation schemes such as JobBridge and CE schemes the real figure of unemployment is 18%.”

Cllr Carney Boud continued:

“John Lyons claims that Labour has “been creating good quality jobs”.

“Tell that to those on zero or 20 hour contracts at minimum wage.

Tell that to the hundreds of thousands of young people who have emigrated in search of a better life.

Tell that to those who have been forced in to the slave labour of JobBridge and gateway schemes.

John Lyons should get out and talk to the people in his own constituency and get in touch with reality.”