Doherty: '5,583 people in Donegal on social housing lists or in receipt of HAP'

Sinn Féin TD Pearse Doherty has said that the government is failing to deliver social housing after new figures showed that 5,583 people in Donegal are on social housing lists or in receipt of Housing Assistance Payment (HAP).

Deputy Doherty added that the only way to start fixing Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael’s mismanagement of the housing crisis is with a change of government, a Sinn Féin Minister for Housing and Sinn Féin's alternative housing plan.

“5,583 people in Donegal are on housing lists or in receipt of HAP according to figures released this week by the Parliamentary Budget Office,” he said. “This is further evidence of this government’s inability to fix the housing crisis and their failure to deliver social housing.

“This report rubbishes the Taoiseach Simon Harris' claim and shows just how out of touch he and his government are when it comes to their failures to address the housing crisis.

“The report estimates that the number of social homes across the state must be increased by 56 per cent just to meet the current deficit, yet only last month the Taoiseach inexplicably claimed that a sufficient volume of social housing was being delivered.

“None of this will come as a shock to those struggling to put a secure and affordable roof over their heads. Last week alone, three independent reports were released by the Central Statistics Office, the Society of Chartered Surveyors and Savills. These reports once again showed that the government’s housing plan is not working.

“The three reports highlight sky high house prices, chronic undersupply and the growing affordability challenge for working people looking to buy or rent a house.

“Fine Gael has been in government for 13 years and Fianna Fáil have been propping them up for the last eight. During that time, house prices, rents and homelessness have risen to historic highs. Meanwhile, the delivery of social and affordable homes has been unacceptably low.

“Sinn Féin has an alternative housing plan that will prioritise the delivery of social and affordable housing to the required level. We need a general election, a change of government and a Sinn Féin Minister for Housing."