Irish Freedom Party Louth candidate hits out at lack of housing under HAP

Irish Freedom Party Louth candidate Hermann Kelly has hit out at lack of housing under the Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) Scheme and claims that there discrimination in the Accommodation Recognition Payment (ARP) system against Irish families.

Mr Kelly, who is competing in Louth in the upcoming general election and has worked in the European Parliament for 15 years, said that "it's clear there are not enough houses and too many people. We need to lower the rate of immigration into Ireland to curb demand for housing. While we have no control over the numbers coming from the EU due to EU membership. The government can sharply reduce the number of work and student visas from outside the EU tomorrow. 

Mr Kelly claims that "the key to bringing sanity to the housing market is to curb demand because we can not keep up the supply. Why? Because the state does not have the money due to EU state aid rules to have a sufficiently huge house building programme. Nor do we have the builders. So, curbing demand is the key.

"It would also help Irish renters if the state discontinued the Accommodation Recognition Payment (ARP) of 800 euro per month tax-free paid to Ukrainian refugees. It means Irish renters must offer €1600 in rent to the landlord, who is then taxed on the rent. The ARP is a clear instance of state discrimination against Irish people themselves."

He added that, "Irish Freedom Party candidates in the general election will be seeking to curb discretionary immigration and the discriminatory ARP immediately. This would curb demand and give people a better chance of finding an apartment or house to rent."