Since the beginning of this government, Green Party Housing Mandate has been delivered including:
Cost-rental affordable housing
Town Centers First initiatives
100% public housing on public land legislation
Abolition of co-living & SHD's
A Right to Housing referendum
See below for my full contribution yesterday:
[Transcript]
Access to a home is the issue of our time and many are being restricted to a roof over their heads.
A Global Depression, Brexit, a pandemic, unprecedented population growth, and Putin’s war have brought us here.
Hearts and minds might be bought by sophistry, but Housing for All contains measured solutions and funding to meet our crisis.
Through the stewardship of Minister O’Brien, I am proud to say that the Green Party has delivered 100% public housing on public land legislation. Green Party cost-rental policy has firmly been actioned, the LDA alone have a remit to deliver 30,000 affordable, high quality cost-rental properties, with succession rights.
Our towns and villages are unique cultural settlements where 30% of our population live.
Under this government, the Green Party has actioned it’s ‘Town Centers First’ policies, where Grants of up to 75k per unit are available to tackle vacancy and dereliction, ensuring not only good quality housing but also job opportunities, safe and accessible public spaces, good transport links, climate resilience and the making of 10 minute towns.
During this government, we have seen further Green Party policies actioned including the abolition of co-living, and the end of the undemocratic Strategic Housing Development system.
Working groups have been put in place to procure redress for owners of Defective dwellings. Further to Minister Catherine Martin’s work in the 32nd Dáil I have tabled a Defective Dwellings Bill, which would secure a legal redress process for homeowners.
A referendum on the Right to Housing was a key commitment secured in the Programme for Government by the Green Party and wording is currently being procured
A right to a home should be in our constitution as it is the right to an education!
Over the past 2 years I have participated in cross party housing debates in Trinity and UCD, where the opposition spoke in favor of the nationalization of all homes in Ireland and the prohibition of a tenant purchasing their council house. My parents were afforded this opportunity, no party should keep people down. Our culture is stronger for liberating those who need help.
I therefore have full confidence in the Minister for Housing.
Thank you.