Dublin South West representative Seán Crowe has said that it will take 40 years to clear the housing list in South Dublin County Council at the current rate of allocations.

Crowe made his comments following the publication of the Councils housing allocation report for 2013.

Deputy Seán Crowe said:

“The housing crisis is getting worse and following the latest figures from South Dublin County Council, a total of 201 council homes were allocated in 2013 from a waiting list of 7674 applicants.

“At this rate of allocations, it will take more than 40 years to clear the backlog.”

These figures come after a survey carried out by Dublin South West Sinn Féin found that 96% of rented accommodation advertised across Rathcoole, Rathfarnham, Saggart, Tallaght, Templeogue, Greenhills and Walkinstown was above the Social Welfare threshold for rent supplement.

“Cuts to rent supplement and rising rents are making it increasingly difficult for families to access the private rental sector. This is being made worse by the growing number of private landlords selling up, as banks move to repossess distressed buy-to-let mortgages.

“The result is increased homelessness and increased housing need.

“This Government is failing the people of South Dublin. We urgently need long term, sustainable investment in social housing. We also need South Dublin County Council to look at new ways to fund social housing. Unless we start to increase the supply of social housing, this crisis for tenants will escalate and get worse.

“In South Dublin there will be no quick fix solution like thousands of NAMA housing coming on stream. It is inevitable that unless Government introduces new crisis measures, applicants could conceivably be facing decades before they are housed in permanent and long-term accommodation.”

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