Constructive solution to the housing crisis

SIR, Since mankind exited the cave we have been building homes. After centuries of such endeavour, one would think that in 2017 we would have mastered this skill. Not so, it seems, as we have more and more homeless families in lreland in recent years.

It seems to be a very complicated exercise for government to stand concrete block on concrete block. We had great fanfare surrounding ‘rebuild lreland’. Minister Simon Coveney had cracked it; onward and upward. However Simon moved on, with the plans barely dry from the printer.

Now the baton has been passed to Minister Eoghan Murphy and no doubt he will have to review everything; ‘put his own stamp on it’ ,so to speak.

If you are the homeless child trying to do your school homework in the corner of a hotel room, with the baby crying and your takeaway rumbling in your belly, then you will hope that Eoghan will not kick to touch for a year or two and eventually move on like Simon.

Local authorities, much maligned at times, supplied us with water and built social housing where necessary, since the foundation of our State.

We know what happened when managing water was moved away from them and housing was left to the private market. ‘lf it ain’t broke...’ comes to mind. The ideology needs to change drastically, as best practice has been abandoned by Fine Gael. Housing for profit is obviously not the answer; ask those queuing in Dublin trying to purchase vastly overpriced houses.

Renting a house has become well nigh impossible for many as incomes are not sufficient to have a life and pay rent in our capital.

It’s not just a housing problem anymore, it’s a national crisis. The government response lacks true compassion and conviction We have recently had at least three deaths of ‘the homeless’ on our streets. Minister Murphy has said that people shouldn’t be dying on our streets. Well, until some worthwhile plan is properly implemented things are going to stay as they are, unfortunately.

We are having yet another government ‘think tank’ this week. My free advice to the minister is simple: build, build, build!

Sincerely,

Gerry Cournane, Tralee.