Labour says Govt 'failing on every metric' on housing

Labour leader, Ivana Bacik, has said the Government's Housing For All plan is failing on every metric, with 4,401 children now living in emergency accommodation.

Speaking in the Dáil, she said there had been a 70% increase in child homelessness since the Government took office, and the figure was likely to increase when the August figures were published next week.

The Dublin Bay South TD said the data proved that the Government has not discharged its duty of care for the welfare of so many children.

Deputy Bacik claimed the Government has also failed renters with rents jumping by 27% over the past 3 years, just as house prices had increased too.

She appealed for the Government to change its policy in the short time it had left in office.

In reply, Housing Minister Darragh O'Brien said ending homelessness remains his number one challenge, but he was "optimistic" as the number of people exiting emergency accommodation was "increasingly substantially".

He said 630 families moved into safe and secure homes in the 2nd quarter of this year.

The minister said the number of new social homes delivered last year was the highest in more than 50 years.

He said the Government "will hit our social targets this year".

Minister O'Brien said there was no cost-rental when this Government entered office but there were now 2,000 tenancies in place.

He added that 500 first time buyers in a week was the highest number since 2006.

The Labour leader countered that the number of people exiting homelessness was not keeping up with those entering.

She added there were 23,000 notices to quit in the previous 12 months, and the Government needed to adopt Labour Party policy to reverse the trend.

Minister O'Brien said the Government would spend €242 million on emergency services this year, and a supplementary budget was likely.

He said it was a priority to help people exit homelessness and that would continue to be the place.

Ukrainian refugee rental support

Minister O'Brien also told the Dáil that the Accommodation Recognition Payment (ARP), a rental support for Ukrainian refugees, is being reviewed.

"That's being looked at," he told Sinn Féin TD Pearse Doherty.

Deputy Doherty said that, in providing €800 a month tax-free to Ukrainian refugees for accommodation, the ARP "is pricing ordinary renters out of the market".

"It's manifestly unfair," he added.