Housing

The focus of the Programme for Government and 32nd Dáil must be on investment in infrastructure and services.  Lack of investment in housing, health, childcare, rural broadband and education threatens economic growth and stability.   The latest research from Social Justice Ireland  in ‘Choices for Equity and Sustainability’ shows that a lack of investment is undermining Ireland’s economic and social stability. 

Ireland is in the midst of a social housing crisis and a homelessness crisis.  The numbers of families living in hotels in the Dublin region doubled in 2015 and the numbers of new families presenting as homeless increased by a third last year in Dublin alone.

We are focussing far too much on the performance of the economy and not nearly enough on issues such as aging, social housing and sustainability, that have major implications for the wellbeing of individuals and society as a whole according to the National Social Monitor 2015 published by Social Justice Ireland.  It goes on to argue that a balance is required between the various aspects of life if the wellbeing of this and future generations is to be secured.

Social Justice Ireland welcomes the publication of ‘Social Housing Strategy 2020: Support, Supply and Reform’ which is the most comprehensive attempt to address the social housing problem in a generation.  However the strategy fails to deal with the scale of the social housing challenge facing Ireland today.  Without addressing the issue of scale, the social housing problem will not be resolved.