Kildare needs more than empty promises on housing – Ó Fearghaíl

Published on: 29 May 2015


Fianna Fáil TD for Kildare South Seán Ó Fearghaíl has said the current Government housing plan lacks ambition and is failing to deliver much needed homes for people in Kildare.

The Kildare TD made the comments after receiving information in the Dáil that shows Kildare County Council plans to acquire just 70 homes between now and 2017.

“I recently raised the Governments social housing plans for Kildare in the Dáil with Minister for Environment and Local Government Alan Kelly. He confirmed to me that Kildare County Council plans on acquiring just 70 social housing units between now and 2017” said Deputy Ó Fearghaíl.

“This figure is just a drop in the ocean when you consider the true extent of the housing crisis in Kildare. There are currently 6,000 people on waiting lists in the county, and the figure is rising by the day. To make matters worse, there are 250 people classified as homeless in Kildare. This figure includes many families who have to rely on emergency accommodation on a daily basis.

“The housing crisis is forcing families to put their entire lives on hold as they face an uncertain future with rising rents and a dwindling housing supply. The true legacy of this Government will be its failure to deal with this crisis. Fine Gael and Labour say they are committed to tackling the crisis, but actions speak louder than words. They have systematically cut the funding available for social housing and have allowed the crisis to escalate each year.

“There has been a reduction of over 54% in funding for social housing under this Government. In contrast to the Government, Fianna Fáil is committed to ending the housing crisis. We have put forward comprehensive proposals that include a €4.5bn investment in houses by 2021.

“The plan that we have put forward, similar to the great home building programmes of the 40’s and 50’s, will ensure that adequate homes are available for all those that want to raise a family in Kildare” said Deputy Ó Fearghaíl.

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