No Confidence in Housing Minister or Government’s failed policies – Carthy
Cavan Monaghan Sinn Féin TD, Matt Carthy, spoke against the government’s motion of confidence in Housing Minister Darragh O’Brien.
Carthy described Minister O’Brien as the Harry Kane of Irish politics – “missing targets and missing them widely”.
Teachta Carthy told the Dáil:
“For all the bluff and bluster from government Deputies they can’t hide away from the plain fact that their housing policies are failing. They cannot hide from the truth that their Housing Minister is failing.
“Far from resolving the housing emergency, the Minister instead denies that there is an emergency at all.
“The emergency was not of Minister O’Brien’s making, although his party played a staring role. But he has singularly failed to get to grips with it.
“On all the parameters that matter to real people, the figures don’t lie.
“The highest levels of homelessness since records began – and getting worse.
“The highest house prices on record – and getting worse.
“The highest rents in the history of the state – and they continue to soar.
“Minister O’Brien has established himself as the Harry Kane of Irish politics – missing targets and missing them widely.
“The Minister has an advantage over Mr. Kane because he simply moves the goalposts – by setting new targets that he knows go nowhere near the level of output that is required to resolve the daily crisis that is the lived housing reality of too many of our citizens.
“Government TDs know all of this. But, no doubt, the Minister will receive the support of Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael and Green Party TDs this evening in their vein hope of a junior ministerial nod this Saturday.
“But, make no mistake about it, were this motion to be decided by those currently in the limbo of emergency accommodation; or Ireland’s fleeced renters; or those on social housing lists, waiting years with many more years of waiting to come; or those young people desperately hoping to buy their first home; or the thousands of others who have lost hope and have scattered again to the four corners of the world in search of a better life.
Then there would be no contest – it would be a clear, emphatic no confidence in this government, no confidence in their failed housing policies and no confidence in this failing Minister”.
ENDS
