After the general election, all the briefing from the Government was that it was ready to take what it called "difficult decisions" to fix this housing disaster. In recent weeks, it has certainly been difficult to watch this Government's chaotic decision-making - its U-turns, drip-feeds and hasty rewrites of flawed press releases. Undoubtedly, the Taoiseach and the Minister, Deputy Browne, have made decisions as difficult for renters as they could possibly have managed. Last week, and again just now on Leaders' Questions, he gleefully said the Government took the Opposition by surprise with the pronouncements on RPZs.
Sentiment score: -0.31
He made it sound like it was a "gotcha" moment for him.
Sentiment score: 0.36
It is hardly gotcha. Of course, we welcome decisions that are taken by the Government that we believe will fix the housing crisis. We support the extension of RPZs across the country, but not a hollowed out version of RPZs that offer no real protections for renters. This was not a gotcha moment for landlords because last week he gave them a generous nine months' notice of his mooted plans. The net effect of that was obvious. Some signalled their intention to hike rents quickly before their investment property came within an RPZ next March. Others, opportunistically, started making plans to issue tenants with a notice to quit - racing the clock before the new rules came in. Concerns were immediately raised about this last week by my colleague, Deputy Sheehan. Labour Party representatives heard from frightened renters around the country. It is clear the Taoiseach and his backbenchers heard it too because, suddenly, there was to be emergency legislation this week to give effect to the difficult decisions on RPZs without delay. We know the Bill will be rushed through tomorrow but there is still very little clarity for renters. There is very little clarity for any of us. We have learned there are to be no special protections for students or short-term renters. This has been incredibly difficult for renters. It remains difficult. People are living in fear of evictions, of rent hikes and of an uncertain future. It is the Government's chaotic drip feed of housing policy changes which is causing this uncertainty and confusion. That is why at 6 p.m. people from across the country will be gathering outside Leinster House for our national Raise the Roof housing demonstration.
Sentiment score: -0.06
People will gather to send a strong message to the Government. It is time for a radical reset of housing policy. No more incoherent policy changes. We need to see the radical reset the Housing Commission has called for because only the State has the deep pockets necessary to underwrite the construction of homes at the scale that is needed. The Government must scale up its effort and ambition, not waste time and money on "Bertienomics" era tax breaks for developers or ineffectual apartment design changes. One promising policy that we welcome is an overhaul of the Land Development Agency, LDA. We have been calling for this for years in Labour. We want to see the LDA become effective. Rather than trying to catch the Opposition off guard or trying to govern by gotcha, why will the Government not take on board other urgent and ambitious proposals for reform and fix the housing crisis? Why will it not adopt our policy on protections for renters?
Sentiment score: 0.13
We cannot. We are not in the Government.
Sentiment score: 0.00
Anybody watching will be wondering when the Government is going to take political responsibility for the housing crisis. He is the Taoiseach and is in government. His party and Fine Gael have effectively governed together for the best part of a decade and yet, he is resorting to throwing critiques at the Opposition for not building homes. We are in opposition. The Labour Party, as the Taoiseach well knows, produced a costed, detailed plan on housing and on the transformation of the Land Development Agency into a State construction company because only the State has the deep pockets that can underwrite the risk of construction. That is what I am hearing from builders and developers. The Taoiseach knows that to be the case. He knows he does not have a leg to stand on when it comes to defending his housing policy. Last year, the Government thought it would deliver 40,000 new builds. It came far short of that. Renters, those who aspire to home ownership, those who are couch surfing and living in their childhood bedrooms, not to mention the 15,000 people in homelessness, know the Government does not have a leg to stand on when it comes to housing policy.
Sentiment score: 0.06
The Government has to take responsibility and deliver the homes people need.
Sentiment score: 0.00
You did not give us a chance. You had done the deal with Michael Lowry.
Sentiment score: -0.09
That is not true.
Sentiment score: -0.33