Carlow Councillor highlights Amnesty report on 'failing' Irish housing system

Local County Carlow Councillor highlights a report from Amnesty International published this week that has described Ireland’s housing crisis and the record number of people in emergency accommodation as “a stain” on the country’s reputation and said the crisis of housing availability and affordability has worsened.

People Before Profit Local Election Candidate for Carlow, Cllr Adrienne Wallace said “The Executive director of Amnesty International Ireland, Stephen Bowen said it is appalling that over 4,000 children are living in emergency accommodation, while tens of thousands of young people will never be able to afford a home of their own. Mr Bowen also said this is due to failure after failure by government after government to afford the people of Ireland adequate housing rights protections.

This is damning criticism of local Government TDs that continues to push a disastrous market-based housing model that leaves people homeless; stuck living with their parents; or paying high rents”.

Cllr Wallace said “With the election looming you will start to hear of the supposed success from councils and government in responses to this crisis. At the April Carlow MD there was a report given regarding the Vacant Homes Grant, it showed that only 2 applications are in the process of being drawn down, this is over the course of the two years the scheme has been in place. Many of the FG and FF councillors tried to portray this as a ‘good news story’ but the reality is they are failing to address the housing crisis.”

Cllr Wallace concluded “I had a motion at the March Council meeting calling on the council to immediately purchase all of the houses on the dereliction register, some of these houses have been on the register over 20 years. Local Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael councillors refused to support it. Carlow Council must start to compulsory purchase public land in Carlow and start building houses immediately, they have the power to do so but the political will seems to be missing.”