Dr Rory Hearne THE MOST FRUSTRATING aspect of the housing crisis is that the Government has the solutions to it sitting right there on its desk. We hear it constantly make excuses, but the truth is there are many things it could be doing right now that would ease this crisis.
It’s easier to blame everything else – Covid, inflation, Ukraine – than to address failed consecutive policies, but the fact is that we had a housing crisis before any of those challenges appeared.The Government’s strategy is to hope that you – Generation Rent – will just quietly accept the high rents or else emigrate, where the “grass looks greener”. Traditionally, our successive governments don’t really value you, the renters.
A state fund should be set up to compulsorily purchase 10,000 derelict homes per year, renovate and sell them as affordable homes.Thousands of homes are being lost as long-term rentals to short-term lets via platforms like Airbnb. This is the ‘gigification’ and ‘precariousation’ of housing – for more profit for landlords and global digital platforms.
We have the funding to do it. Use the €6bn going into the rainy day fund. Generation Rent is being drowned in the flood of ever-rising rents now. If this isn’t a rainy-day emergency then I don’t know what is.
People are angry at how the Government has consistently refused to implement an emergency response to the homeless in Ireland and Generation Rent. We need this emergency response in order to provide homes for the homeless in Ireland, refugees and those caught in the unsustainable rental cost cycle. Refugees and migrants didn’t cause the housing crisis. It was Governments that abandoned social housing, that failed to build homes, community and transport infrastructure in disadvantaged areas and across the country. People should protest at those who are really to blame for the crisis – the Government and investor funds – and for solutions that can provide homes for all. The Government’s delivery targets on housing are not being met. They are not ambitious enough, anyway.
But I believe this Government and the Irish State will not take this scale of emergency response in a new direction unless they are forced into doing so. They have shown they are unwilling to fundamentally change their housing policy. We have already seen through public pressure, the Government introduce a vacant homes tax and a temporary eviction ban. Things they said they wouldn’t do.
Younger people are too laid back and its not their fault as the MSM pushed out nonsense to them for years and they don't realise how all govt policies will negatively effect their futures,opposition leading them astray with shouting about everyone's rights but their own rights
This is so dumb. Firstly most of these derelict homes are in places like Leitrim where no-one wants or needs to live. Secondly the cost of bringing then up to a habitable level and fire compliant is astronomical..where are the workers coming from to do that? Let the market work
The market could've worked if we sold houses to people rather than vulture funds. The problem at the time was too many houses not enough buyers.
The majority of these ‘derelict homes’ are in places where the cost of bringing them back into use far exceeds the value they’re after. Leitrim has 16% of its stock empty cause there is no large demand. The derelict houses are not in the areas with the big demand.
It was rigged by 'the state' for 'the state' who are the only ones in the country protected by 'the state police'
Where were all these articles when we were out there protesting Irish Water? Another national disaster that was waiting to happen. RaiseTheRoof
“A state fund should be set up to compulsorily purchase 10,000 derelict homes per year” Madness, the court system would collapse under the weight of any attempt to do this