HAP tenants discrimination

THE Council is calling on the Housing Minister Eoghan Murphy to get a public inquiry into why landlords and estate agents are refusing HAP.

PBP Alliance Cllr Gino O’Boyle’s motion was unanimously supported. “We need Council houses and we need them fast, not built by private developers,” he said.

FF Cllr Tom MacSharry agreed people were being discriminated against because they were on HAP rental support.

He also said there was “no sustainable strategy for housing here.”

Ind. Cllr Michael Clarke said Cllr MacSharry had “hit the nail on the head - there’s no housing here at all, whether public or private.”

He said tenants on HAP were competing with private tenants: “We need to de-zone land and give it to builders.”

SF Cllr Chris MacManus said the increased pressure on the rental market was “manna from Heaven” for landlords.

He said he met a senior citizen whose rent was increased by 30 per cent.

“HAP is not a solution, we need to build social housing,” he said.

FF Cllr Seamus Kilgannon said the problem wouldn’t be solved a year from now because of the lack of development.

FG Cllr Hubert Keaney said: “If we’re not able to provide our young people with the means to afford a roof over their heads then we have failed.”

He said it was “shocking” vulture funds were putting people on the streets just because they wanted to make more money.