Renovation fund slammed

AN announcement that

?¬15 million is to be spent on turning local authority units into family homes was described as a

“meaningless ball of smoke

? last week.

Almost e4 million will be spent on repairing vacant local authority houses across Dublin as part of the e15 million renovation fund unveiled by the Minister for Housing and Planning, Jan O’Sullivan.

While the announcement was widely welcomed it was slammed by one Southside TD who said the

“absolutely paltry sum

? of

?¬15 million would not even make a dent in a crisis that has seen record numbers of families declared homeless.

Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett of the People Before Profit Alliance said the e15 million figure was a

“tiny fraction of the cuts in overall funding to social housing provision and rent allowance contained in the last two budgets

?.

“In Dun Laoghaire Rathdown, where the crisis is particularly acute as rents are among the highest in the country, this announcement would mean only one extra council house available for allocation in 2014 against a background of 4,000 families on the housing list,

? he claimed.

“Our office is currently dealing with over 20 families with young children involved, who are either in homeless services, sleeping on family member’s couches, or facing imminent homelessness as landlords seek higher rents to terminate their tenancies.

“I am extremely worried about the mental and physical health and welfare of these parents and children.

“This crisis has been growing for two years but is now worsening on a weekly basis and is fast becoming a social emergency.

“It will continue to get worse unless very urgent action and a radical change of policy are undertaken by the Government.

?

The announcement was also made as latest figures from one of the city’s homeless agencies revealed that there was a 38 per cent increase in the number of those sleeping rough in just over a month.

The director of Inner City Helping Homeless (ICHH), Anthony Flynn, said last Wednesday night (April 16) saw another rise in the number of those sleeping on the streets of the capital, as they fed no fewer than 100 rough sleepers on their food run.

“Last night’s figures have shown a clear trend in the rise of rough sleepers,

? Mr Flynn said.

“We are now at crisis point when we are feeding over 100 people a night.

“These figures are no longer acceptable. We need a

‘Homeless Task Force’ to combat the problem that clearly exists within our society.

?

In welcoming the move, Dun Laoghaire Senator Aideen Hayden said the money would be spent on bringing back into use long-term vacant local authority homes for people on the social housing waiting list.

“Given the current housing crisis, particularly in urban Ireland, this measure, which will pay for the repair of 952 homes is most welcome,

? she said.

“While I understand that we currently have almost 90,000 people on the waiting lists for homes I realise that this measure will not solve the major problem.

“But I do recognise that every house brought back into life for a family that needs it is a good start and a first step in the right direction.

?

Tánaiste Eamon Gilmore also welcomed the announcement, saying it would transform local authority units that had been out of use for long periods into good quality homes for families in need.

“The additional units are being provided in areas which have a strong social housing demand,

? he said.

“Not only will it see families being put in good homes, but it will also guarantee a rental income for local authorities.

?

Dublin MEP, Emer Costello, revealed that a total of

?¬3,288,000 had been earmarked for the transformation of 135 vacant houses across the city into livable homes.

“It seems absurd that while we have thousands of families on the housing list, we also have houses lying idle,

? she said.

“Boarded up houses benefit no one, especially the communities in which they stand.

?