SPEAKING in the Dáil, Limerick TD, Maurice Quinlivan has called for the removal of the exemption to the obligation for developers to construct a set amount of social and affordable housing on housing projects. The Sinn Féin TD was speaking in support of an amendment to the Housing Bill brought forward by his party colleague Eóin O’Broin.
The Limerick TD stated that this exemption was particularly unfair on those seeking mortgage approval and housing when you consider that house prices in Limerick rose by 15.5% year on year.
He stated: “At a time when people are struggling to gain mortgage approval while paying high rents. Currently, we have a waiver to the inclusion of 20% social and affordable housing. This is fundamentally wrong and must be stopped. The people I speak for aren’t offered exemption clauses, the thousands of people in Limerick on housing waiting lists, those overcrowded in houses where three generations of the same family reside, for those who call my office in tears because they have been approved for a mortgage but there are no affordable properties in the area. “
While calling for the removal of the exemption to Part 5 requirements, the Limerick Deputy outlined the desperate housing situation in Limerick.
“We have a housing crisis and there seems to be no rational plan by the government on how to solve it. Today according to Daft.ie there are only 13 properties available for rent in Limerick City – 4 of which are renting for more that €3,000 per month. In Limerick we have 5,891 people on the Housing Waiting List. Of these, 2479 are on HAP support. These are people who require the Housing Assistance Payment so that they can afford rent. That should tell us something about the cost of rent in Limerick City.”
“There are people in need of housing that have no chance of getting a mortgage. Many of these are living in overcrowded houses, many of them have children who do not have a space to simply do their homework. This isn’t living, this is just surviving. While the removal of this exemption will not be the panacea for all these ills, it will be a movement in the right direction. It will allow for the provision of more social and affordable housing.”
Speaking afterwards Deputy Quinlivan hit out at the government for its failure to deliver for Limerick:
“I am pleased that the government parties had the good sense not to oppose this amendment. But there is really very little to be pleased about when it comes to this government’s record on housing. In my home city of Limerick we have seen rents rise and rise. We have the debacle that is the lack of housing for college students who have returned to the city. Much like the government generally, the Housing Minister just is not up to the task.”
