Sinn Féin TD for Dublin South West Seán Crowe has said that the government are failing to protect the concept of the right to a home.

“We have well over 110,000 men, women and children in desperate need of decent, secure accommodation and 5000 homeless. Yet only a mere 29 homes were built for social housing in Dublin last year.

“Sixteen families are made homeless in Dublin every week. Yet the government claims they will end homelessness by 2016. They are either naïve beyond belief or are lying through their teeth.

“NAMA housing, proposed as the solution to housing shortages, has delivered less than 500 homes out of a promised 4000, a handful in Dublin.

“Despite what some might say, it gives me no great pleasure to say these things. I would be very happy if I was not receiving calls every week from new people at risk of losing their rented home, languishing on huge waiting lists or living in crumbling housing in desperate need of refurbishment. But this is unfortunately not the case.

“We do know for certain that the housing budget has been cut by over one billion euro since 2008 and in 2013 the government in its infinite wisdom decided to cut a further 58 million from housing in 2014.

“No plan has been put in place with Local Authorities to significantly boost social housing numbers. There is still time for this government to make a real difference, but the idea of ending homelessness by 2016 is becoming more like another Government promise every day.”

###