Leader of the Fianna Fáil Group on Dublin City Council, Cllr Mary Fitzpatrick, will this evening, at the final meeting of Dublin City Council, seek cross party support for an emergency motion condemning the Government’s massive reduction in funding for council housing in Dublin.

Cllr Mary Fitzpatrick, with the support of the Fianna Fáil group, will call on City Councillors from all parties and non-party Councillors to reject Dublin City Council’s Capital Budget.  Cllr Fitzpatrick will also seek an explanation from Minister Jan O’Sullivan for slashing the funding for housing, and instead, demand a substantial increase in funds from Government to meaningfully address the chronic housing crises in Dublin City.

There are already 20,000 applicants on the Dublin City housing list, the applications to this list are growing daily and there is an alarming increase in homelessness in the city.  The problem has been caused by a lack of provision of housing over many years combined with an over reliance on an oversubscribed private rented sector, cuts to rent allowance and increasing rents.

Unbelievably the Governments’ response to the housing crises is to slash funding for council housing in Dublin city by almost 50% in 2015 and 2016.   The cut to funding means that Dublin City council will construct thirty five new homes over the next three years.  For the 20,000 families and individuals on the City Council housing list this spells disaster and leaves them with no hope of securing a home anytime soon.

At the final meeting of this City Council Councillors of all parties and non-party Councillors should send the strongest of messages to Government that there is a serious housing crises in Dublin City and urgent and immediate action is required.

-End Statement-

Emergency motion:

The elected members of Dublin City Council are extremely concerned over the housing crises in Dublin City that is leading to growing numbers on the housing list and increased homelessness in Dublin.  We reject the proposed cut to capital funding for housing in Dublin City in 2015 and 2016. We renew our call to the Minister for Housing to urgently meet with elected representatives of the people of Dublin City, to explain her rationale for the cut and to devise a plan with adequate funding to meaningfully address the housing crises in Dublin City.

Cllr Mary Fitzpatrick, Tom Brabazon, Paul McAuliffe, Jim O’Callaghan, Sean Paul Mahon, Deirdre Heney

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