Decision a “shocking bureaucratic manoeuvre that hides scale of crisis” says TD.

Brid Smith TD, a former DCC councillor has expressed shock at the move to strike off 6000 people from the DCC housing list.

There may be a host of reasons why people would fail to return the councils questionnaires. Many of these applicants are extremely vulnerable people who may have difficulty with questionnaires and may not have realised the importance of it, others may have changed address. There must be some mechanism for appeals for this people who remain in housing need but failed to return the forms for whatever reason.”

Deputy Smith said the councils own statistics raised questions about the 5 thousand plus struck off the list; “They have no idea why these people did not return the forms. But we all know that it’s unlikely that many have found suitable accommodation or are no longer in housing need”

“The reality is that the housing crisis is getting worst with more people in need and less options available. The HAP scheme is in free fall with landlords opting out and families facing evictions. In such circumstances a drop of 22% from the DCC list has to be seriously questioned”

PBP TD slams Coveney for totally disgraceful and inadequate response to serious breaches of overcrowding and conditions in rental properties by landlords

Housing minister and Taosieach candidate effectively shrugs his shoulders at serious exploitation

People Before Profit TD, Bríd Smith, has slammed the response of the Minister for Housing, Simon Coveney, to a question she asked in the Dáil regarding a number of incidents where homelessness people and vulnerable tenants have been grossly exploited by landlords.

Ms Smith asked if the Minister would be bringing in legislation to prevent this exploitation by private landlords of homeless people and vulnerable tenants.

Ms Smith made particular reference to the case of mass overcrowding at a house in South Dublin where 70 tenants were being given bunk beds for €200 per month in a five bedroom house at The Pines, Lehaunstown, Cabinteely; overcrowding in three houses in North Dublin where there was a fire yesterday evening; and the development, today, of exploitation by the owner of an internet café on Talbot Street who charged homeless people to sleep on the floor and on chairs.

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Brid asked Minister Simon Coveney if he is going to bring in any legislation to deal with scandalous exploitation of homeless people and vulnerable tenants.
Coveney is the Minister responsible for housing and potentially the next Taoiseach. His response was totally inadequate and disgraceful

The news that Green REIT is putting a multi-million property portfolio onto the market turns the spotlight onto Ireland’s latest property bubble.

Green REIT bought up a vast amount of property after the Celtic Tiger crash and is now making a fortune selling it off. Last year it made €156 million in profit – a jump of 264 percent on the previous year. Its chairperson and chief executive were awarded a €21 million share bonus between them.

Brid Smith from People Before Profit said,

The new bubble in commercial property prices shows that this recovery is being driven by property speculators. Their fortunes have recovered and many of the same people who brought this country to its knees are once again making vast amounts of money.

The global index of firms, MSCI, has stated that returns on Irish commercial property are among the highest in the world. Last year, they were double those for London.

Many of the big builders have used company law to walk away from their obligations and start off a new round of speculative activity elsewhere.

The people of Adamstown, for example, are still waiting on sports and community facilities that were included in a contract with Castethorn investments. But its owner has moved off into new speculative ventures in Ballsbridge.

The FG-Labour government facilitated this new orgy of speculation by giving a special tax break to Real Estate Investment Trusts as part of a deliberate effort to reflate the property bubble.

People Before Profit, by contrast, would impose a special solidarity tax on these speculators to help pay for the damage they caused in the last crash.’