Housing protest and homelessness
Deputy Mick Barry attacked the Government over homelessness and urged support for the Raise the Roof protest. The Minister of State said the protest’s main demand of 10,000 social houses a year was being met and the Government had a step-by-step plan to move homeless families into homes.
The programme for Government states: "Our approach to governing will be clearly seen in how we address the issues of housing and homelessness". Never was a truer word written. I would have liked to address my question to the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government, but he does not seem to be here on the morning after we found out that there were more 10,000-----
Comment on this
I am talking about the Minister, Deputy Eoghan Murphy, who should be in the House this morning to take questions on what we learned last night. I will instead address the question to the Minister of State, Deputy English. Does he agree that a Government which allows the number of homeless persons go over the 10,000 mark does not deserve to remain in power?
Will the Minister of State comment on my view that the 18 May Raise the Roof national housing demonstration should be built into a massive anti-Government protest, given the scale of its failure on the housing and homelessness issue?
Comment on this
I want to be clear on this because I have addressed these protests before. The main aim of these protests, listening to their demands, are that we get to a stage of delivering 10,000 social houses per year. We are at that this year because the Government started a plan over two and a half years ago, so we are already getting to the figures that are being demanded. The main demand of that protest is being met. The issue is-----
Comment on this
Does the Minister of State support it then? He should and come join us.
Comment on this
-----to continue the delivery to make sure that people who are homeless can get a house. Again there is reference to the number of people and families who are homeless. To be clear, the budget this House passed for housing just a few months ago makes sure that more than 5,000 adults plus all of their children who are part of those homeless figures today will be leaving that situation and going into a house in the months ahead this year. That is because the Government has a step-by-step action plan to deal with this. The rest of the Members do not have that. We are all sympathetic but a plan actually has to be put in place to deal with it-----
Comment on this
Has the Minister of State any shame?
Comment on this
-----and that is what we are trying to do.