Homeless Crises Needs a Cobra Type Response – Craughwell
Speaking today Senator Gerard Craughwell said that homelessness is without doubt the greatest emergency our country is currently facing. It has been described as a ‘Class War’ and it has every trait of one. As a society we simply cannot have families, yes families, sleeping in cars, sleeping rough in the Phoenix Park or on Merrion Square. Senator Craughwell said Government cannot sit out the summer holidays and hope the problem will go away. This problem requires leadership. This problem requires an emergency team, similar to the ‘British Cobra’ team sitting around a table tomorrow morning. Government Departments and Dublin City Council must simply put aside their differences and get working together towards an immediate crises solution. Senator Craughwell said that Government might consider some of the following as short term solutions:
- Introduce immediate emergency rent regulations or controls.
- Incentivise landlords to take social welfare tenants.
- Remove obstacles to direct payment of rent allowance to landlords.
- Reopen suitable bedsits and give landlords a five year moratorium to get us past this crisis.
- Banks must play their part and start offering more by way of mortgage to rent solutions to evictions.
Craughwell said An Taoiseach must recall his cabinet, the Dail and Seanad if necessary to deal with this crisis tomorrow. If necessary Government can call in the representative of the Landlords, the Banks and any other interested parties to ensure that all parties are working on the same sheet. This problem is not going away. If there are landlords cashing in on this crisis then they must be brought to answer. Ireland we are told has €1.2 Billion odd available before the next election are we to use this to buy votes or should we use at least part of it to tackle this crisis. Craughwell said the homeless today are not drug abusers and alcoholics they are families, fathers, mothers and children we can no longer sit by and wait until September.