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Dáil
‹ Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation

Cork city housing list

Summary

Deputy Gould says Cork city’s housing list is growing faster than homes are being allocated and warns it will take many years to clear. The Taoiseach defends Housing for All and says the Government is outlining practical steps to move beyond the crisis.

Deputy Costello is not with us. I call Deputy Thomas Gould.

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There are 7,000 people and families on the housing list in Cork city. In the month of April, the most recent report I have, 35 families and individuals were housed. That means it will take 16 years to clear the waiting list in Cork. To make matters worse, in the same month, 131 families and individuals came onto the list, which means that for every social house that was allocated, four more families came onto the list. This is a catastrophe. The social housing crisis will not be solved. Every week I come in here, the Taoiseach, the Minister, Deputy O'Brien, and other Ministers talk about the great work they are doing. They should explain that to the people of Cork who have been on housing waiting lists for years. This is destroying the lives of children in emergency and temporary accommodation. Where is the support and the hope for them? In years to come, we will ask why we have so many problems with children's mental health, and one of the reasons will be this Government's failure of children when it came to housing.

Comment on this
Simon Harris The Taoiseach Fine Gael

I thank Deputy Gould for raising this important matter. It is not a question of the Government coming in here and saying, "We are doing a wonderful job on this", nor, I hope, is it a question of the Opposition coming here and just saying, "You are doing a terrible job on this", like a Punch and Judy show. It is a reality of outlining to the Irish people, including the people of Cork, the steps we are taking to try to move beyond the housing crisis, and I have outlined what those plans are. We have published a plan called Housing for All. The Deputy's party has yet to do that. It is a costed plan. It shows how we will significantly increase housing supply. What I say to the people of Cork is that every day more homes are being built and allocated and the highest number of social homes are being provided. I accept, however, that we have much more to do.

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