"Homeless figures show that not only has government failed to delivery on housing, but they've actually made the situation worse"

"Homeless figures show that not only has government failed to delivery on housing, but they've actually made the situation worse" - Tóibín

The Aontú leader Peadar Tóibín TD has accused the government of "failing on absolutely every front" when it comes to housing.

Speaking today, Deputy Tóibín said: "This week homeless figures hit 14,760, including 4,561 children, the highest figure on record. This week the government said that they are abandoning their efforts to tackle Air BnBs, and will not be progressing legislation on the issue this side of the election. It also emerged this week that the government will not meet their housing targets again this year. In the first six months of the year only 12% of their target for social homes was reached. It has emerged in the past few weeks that over the past year house prices nationally rose by a whopping 10%. All the statistics are going in the wrong direction. The government cannot continue to pretend that they're trying their best or that we're making small progress - this is not true. We are experiencing regression. For every day this government has been in office the situation has been getting worse".

Deputy Tóibín continued: "Many families are facing the abyss. Even the small simple steps that could be used to mitigate against the worst effects of this disaster are being ignored by the government. Their attempts to bring into use already existing vacant properties, both publicly and privately owned, have been embarrassing. The initial criteria the government set for the vacant property refurbishment grant meant that you had to be a homeless homeowner to qualify. In the first year and a half of this grant only a quarter of a million euro was being paid out each month. At this rate it will take over three thousand years for the government to bring every vacant home back into use!!"

"At local authority level there are 4,000 vacant council houses - houses the State owns, laying empty. It is an absolute disgrace. The government have no credibility on this issue”, concluded Tóibín

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The Irish political system is radically broken

In Ireland the vast majority of elected representatives put a finger in the air to check which way the political wind is blowing. They have one eye on their leaders – seeking brownie points – and another eye keeping their seat safe. If elected reps shut up and do as they’re told, they are promoted; if they stand up for what they believe in, they are demoted. No wonder we have the political class we have. No wonder one point one billion euro is being buried in a hole under the National Children’s Hospital and that Stormont is in stalemate.

Throughout Ireland, many people are now afraid to say what they feel, many are afraid to respectfully engage on a range of different topics. Many feel there is a new censorship and a new political correctness in Ireland, that opposition to the establishment is being deleted.

Respectful opposition is not the enemy. Respectful opposition is a critical element of a functional democracy. Aontú will have the backbone to stand up, without fear, for you.