Eoghan Murphy: Homeless figures 'hugely disappointing'
Minister for Housing Eoghan Murphy says new homeless figures are “hugely disappointing”.
The issue is very complex, he said and efforts such as an increase in social housing, and a halt in the rise in rents, are not having an impact.
Homeless figures have exceeded 10,000 for the first time with 10,264 people, including 3,784 children, in emergency accommodation last month.
Mr Murphy defended a decision he took last year not to include people who have moved in with their parents or who are “couch surfing” in homeless figures.
Someone who is in a hotel or emergency accommodation is not in the same situation as someone who has moved back in with their parents.
The additional demand on housing after years of no building means the Government is playing catch up, he told RTE’s Morning Ireland. It was taking more time that he would like to build and create new homes.
The Minister said the root of the problem lay in the need to build and create new homes and that more homes were built last year than any previous year in a decade, and approximately 1,700 new homes were created in Dublin last year. “One in four new builds are social housing.”
Mr Murphy said the Government cannot force a private homeowner who wants to sell their house to keep tenants in situ. “In trying to help one person you hurt another.”
The country needs the rental sector, he said. A balance needs to be found to meet the needs of landlords and tenants.
Rent pressure zones are to be strengthened because there are certain aspects to them that are lending themselves to higher inflation.
A lot of the things we are doing are moving in the right direction. We know we need to do more. It is a very difficult situation.
“We need to do more with regard to HAP and to protect renters. There is more work to be done.”
