Dublin South West Sinn Féin TD, Seán Crowe, has slammed the remarks of the Minister for the Environment, Community, and Local Government, Alan Kelly, who criticised social justice campaigner Fr. Peter McVerry and called on him to be more ‘positive’ in his comments on the current housing and homelessness crisis.

Crowe said that Minister Kelly’s attack on social justice reformer Father Peter McVerry was akin to attacking the messenger, and that he needed to address and attack the housing and homeless crisis instead.

Deputy Sean Crowe said:

“This week Minister Alan Kelly called on social justice campaigner Fr Peter McVerry to be more ‘positive’ in his comments on the current housing and homelessness crisis.

“Fr McVerry works directly with the homeless, particularly young people, and he knows only too well that the reality of the housing crisis is very different from the rhetoric of the Minister.

“Minister Kelly’s attack is akin to attacking the messenger, attacking the man rather than addressing the housing issue that is clearly not delivering.

“The Government’s much vaunted housing policy is not fit for purpose and will not deliver any of the substantial reforms needed. It won’t in any way improve the availability of housing stock, particularly in Dublin.

“The Government proposals centre around spending marginally more than was spent in the last number of years on housing in the vain hope that somehow this will magically transform the crisis.

“The paper thin strategy is based on the idea that the market will miraculously step in and fill the housing vacuum.

“Private landlords, despite what some government members think, are not renting rooms out of some sense of goodwill. They do it purely to make the maximum profit on their investment.

“Father McVerry, like many others, believes that we need more social housing and wants the Government and Minister Kelly to invest in more Local Authority Housing.

“We desperately need some security of tenure with regulations on the rental market to limit the ability of landlords to raise rents, on a whim, between tenancies, and during tenancies. This will foster a more secure rental market and encourage more responsible and professional landlords into the private market.

“The evidence clearly shows that the only solution is more housing and security for those currently trapped in the rental roundabout.

“This will require Government action not fantasy. It is quite clearly that its the responsibility of the Government to deliver on this. Until that strategy is in place and being implemented no back slapping is needed.”

ENDS