Govt Slashes Housing Budget

Sinn Féin's Sandra McLellan TD for Cork East criticised the government for slashing the housing budget despite committing to end homelessness by 2016.

She said: "When we look at the issue of housing in Ireland we see a dismal picture. Thousands of families are in mortgage arrears and struggling to survive.

"Even more depressing, we have a chronic shortage of social housing with almost 100,000 people on the housing list.


"Fine Gael and Labour have failed people and especially those who depend on social housing.

"In terms of rent supplement the picture is also a bleak one. Ninety-four thousand people are dependent on rent supplement to keep a roof over their head.

"This is tax payers' money – in other words money from the public purse that is going to private landlords and property speculators.

"This government pledged to end homelessness by 2016 yet it has actually slashed the housing budget.

"A well thought through state housing policy would ensure that diversity was the hallmark of housing in the state.

"In other words there would be a balance between the public and private housing stock and not, as we have now, an excess of privately owned dwellings coupled with an appalling lack of public and social housing."

(CD)