Government TD’s in Galway & Mayo need to finally admit their failure on housing and support Sinn Féin in the Dáil calling for this ‘National Crisis’ to be dealt with immediately.
Speaking today the Galway West-South Mayo Senator says:
‘It is a damning indictment of this government’s failed policies on housing and homelessness that we have 369 empty local authority units in Galway and Mayo, while thousands languish on the housing lists.
‘According to newly released statistics there are 59 units in Galway city and 165 in the county as well as 145 across Mayo, that are vacant at present due to a lack of funding from the government to make them available.
‘We have had plenty of hype and press launches from the government on how they will address the situation, but the reality is that we are not seeing houses becoming available. We are seeing people being forced out of homes as rents increase and mortgages are foreclosed on. This is totally unacceptable and Enda Kenny and his government colleagues Derek Nolan, Brian Walsh Seán Kyne, John O’Mahoney, Michelle Mulherin and Michael Ring should hang their heads in shame.
“There has been a concerted effort on the part of government to shift the blame for the housing crisis, and the responsibility for addressing it, onto local authorities. This is farcical. The responsibility for the crisis lies squarely with central government. The responsibility lies with the Taoiseach, Tánaiste, Minister Alan Kelly and it lies with government TDs and Senators from Galway and Mayo, no matter how much they attempt to run from it.
“It is clear that Fine Gael and the Labour Party are not taking the crisis seriously.
A Sinn Féin PMB motion on the housing crisis will be debated in the Dáil on the evenings of Tuesday and Wednesday this week.
“Sinn Féin is up to challenge of tackling the housing crisis head-on. This means implementing measures such as reviewing legislation to allow for the more timely provision of social housing, increased funding from central government to build social housing units and also the facilitating of local authorities in accessing off-balance sheet housing agency loans.
“The people of Galway and Mayo deserve much better than this. This is a defining moment for this government and all their talk of recovery rings very hollow when we see so many people losing their homes or in need of emergency accommodation on their watch.”
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Tá rún Dála ag Sinn Féin ag iarraidh ar an Rialtas dul i ngleic lena “teip tubaisteach ag deileáil leis an ngéarchéim tithíochta”.
Caithfidh Teachtaí Dála Rialtais i nGaillimh agus Maigh Eo admháil go bhfuil ag teip go h-iomlán orthu maidir le cúrsai thithíochta agus tacaíocht a thabhairt do rún Dála Shinn Féin ag iarraidh orthu gníomhú ar an ‘Géarchéím Náisiúnta’ seo láithreach.
Ag labhairt do inniu deir Seanadóir Ghaillimh Thiar – Maigh Eo Theas:
‘Is damnú damanta ar pholasaithe tithíochta agus dídine an Rialtais seo na figiúir a léirionn go bhfuil 369 aonad folamh ag na h-údaráis áitiúla i nGaillimh agus Maigh Eo, fad is atá na mílte ar na liostaí feitheamh tithíochta.
‘De réir staitisticí nua atá eisithe tá 59 aonad i gcathair na Gaillimhe, 165 sa chontae agus 145 eile i Maigh Eo atá folamh de bharr ganntann maoinithe ón rialtas chun iad a chur in oiriúnt do dhaoine chun conaí iontu.
‘Tá neart bolscaireacht agus preasócáidí eagraithe ag an rialtas seo le n-inseacht dúinn cén chaoi a bhfuil sé i gceist acu dul i ngleic leis na fadhbanna, ach is í fírinne an scéil ná nach bhfuil muid ag feiceáil tithe dhá chur ar fáil dóibh siúd a dteastaíonn sé uathu. Tá muid ag feiceáil daoine dhá dhíbirt amach as a gcuid tithe de bharr ardaithe cíosa agus bancanna ag díriú ar aisíoc riaráistí morgáiste. Tá sé seo go h-iomlán mícheart agus ba chóir go gclaonfadh Enda Kenny agus a chomhleacaithe rialtais Derek Nolan, Brian Walsh Seán Kyne, John O’Mahoney, Michelle Mulherin agus Michael Ring ag gcuid cloigne le teann náire.
“Tá chuile iarracht déanta ag an rialtas leis an milleán a chuir, agus an fhreagracht a théann leis sin a leagan air na h-údaráis áitiúla. Tá sé seo dochreidte. Luíonn an fhreagracht don ghéarchéim seo go h-uile agus go h-iomlán leis an Taoiseach, an Tánaiste, an tAire Alan Kelly agus Teachtaí Dála agus Seanadóirí na Gaillimhe agus Maigh Eo, cuma cé chomh minic agus a shéanann siad sin.
“Tá sé soiléir nach bhfuil Fine Gael na an Lucht Oibre ag tógáil an ghéarchéim seo dháiríre.
Déanfar plé ar rún Dála ó Shinn Féin faoin ngéarchéim tithíochta tráthnóna Dé Máírt agus Dé Céadaoin na seachtaine seo.
“Tá faoi Sinn Féin dul i ngleic go díreach leis an ngéarchéim tithíochta. Ciallaíonn seo céimeanna a ghlacadh cosúil le h-athbhreithniú a dhéanamh ar reachtaíocht le tithíocht sóisialta a chur ar fáil níos tapúla, breis maoiniú a chuir ar fáíl ón rialtas le h-aonaid tithíocht sóisialta a thógáil agus cuidiú leo chun iasachtaí áisíneachtaí tithíochta a fháil nach bhfuil ar an gclár comhardaithe.
“Tá i bhfad níos níos fearr ná seo tuillte ag muintir na Gaillimhe & Maigh Eo.Is pointe cinniúnach í seo don rialtas agus is beag an mhaith a gcuid cainte maidir leis an téarnamh eacnamaíoch dóibh siúd atá ag cailleadh a gcuid tithe, nó a bhfuil riachtanas dídine éigeandála acu faoi réimeas an rialtais seo”.