“National Emergency Demands an Emergency Response” – Peadar Tóibín
Speaking today, Aontú leader Peadar Tóibín said “It’s staggering that Leo Varadkar can acknowledge that the housing crisis has become a national emergency and then not take appropriate measures to ameliorate the crisis. A national emergency demands an emergency response. Yet, throughout their time in Government, Fine Gael has opposed every emergency response measure”
Tóibín continued “On a fundamental level, Fine Gael are ideologically opposed to fixing this crisis. They have opposed tax on vacant homes, they have opposed property tax on vacant homes, and they have opposed CPOs of long-term derelict houses. Fine Geal have given vulture funds a competitive advantage in buying up stock. 10 years into the housing crisis, there are still not enough social homes being built. Fine Gael even ceded the government’s responsibility in social housing to investor funds by allowing these funds to sidestep 10% stamp duty if they lease back houses to the state for social housing.”
“We can already see the effects of Fine Gael’s housing response. The result is the price of a 3-bed home is increasing €100 every single day. Youth homelessness has increased by 90% the last 3 years. This is an utter failure by any measure. The housing crisis is at its worst point in years. We need an actual emergency response to this crisis” Concluded Tóibín
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