The Irish Independent's View: Politicians' actions will speak louder than words when it comes to housing crisis
The opposition is 100pc correct to highlight government failings. In March 2019, Leilani Farha, the former UN Special Rapporteur on the Right to Housing, said: 'Contrary to international human rights obligations, investment in housing in the Republic of Ireland has disconnected housing from its core social purpose of providing people with a place to live in with security and dignity.'
The Raise the Roof protests today will target Government failings and highlight the human toll taken through being unable to rent or buy at affordable rates.
The campaign, which also has the backing of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions, wants to see an increase in public housing investment and more punitive taxes imposed on vacancy and dereliction. It has also fought for a re-introduction of the ban on 'no fault' evictions.
Sinn Féin, Labour, the Social Democrats, PBP-Solidarity, several Independent TDs and the Green Party have tabled a motion calling for the implementation of all of the above.
By now, the Coalition should not require a mass demonstration to recognise the risks it is running by not getting on top of the single issue on which the whole country desperately demands more progress. We have reached a moment where only big gestures and bold thinking can restore confidence in its ability to deliver on housing.
Ten years into the housing crisis, it remains the greatest political failure of our time
As targets are continually missed and rents keep rising, a consensus is forming around a view that inaction speaks louder than words.
As Ethel Buckley, deputy general secretary of Siptu, said recently: 'Ten years into the housing crisis, and that crisis remains the greatest political failure of our time. Workers are being priced out of homes or can only rent or purchase with considerable financial burden.'
It is critical that due attention is paid when people say our broken property market must be fixed.
Expecting it to happen immediately is unrealistic, but a show of intent and evidence of total commitment to identifying and implementing vital solutions is not.
Protests matter, though not as much as agreeing on ways to rapidly expand our housing supply. The Government needs to bring the opposition on board so that a national drive to ramp up the construction of affordable homes can be achieved.
As things stand, young people are profoundly disillusioned about their prospects. They are frustrated by repeated speeches from Taoiseach Micheál Martin and Tánaiste Simon Harris about 'challenges'.
Mr Martin said he wants 'courage and ambition' to be matched with careful planning and management on the issue. He must lead by example.
He speaks of taking 'brave and difficult decisions' on housing and in other areas. True, it is a time for initiative and innovation, but for them to be taken and not simply talked about.
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