The government is facing defeat in the Dáil this afternoon on an opposition motion which seeks the declaration of a housing and homelessness emergency.
It comes as the Bishop of Killaloe is calling on state agencies to get more involved in the housing crisis, saying it’s a human right to have a roof over your head.
Housing is dominating the agenda in the Dáil once again this afternoon.
Today, Solidarity/People Before Profit are bringing forward a motion calling for the amount of spending on housing to be doubled, as well as the introduction of aggressive measures to bring vacant properties back into use.
The motion has the support of all opposition parties meaning Housing Minister Eoghan Murphy and the government will be defeated.
Sinn Fein’s Housing Spokesperson Eoin Ó Broin says he hopes today’s motion will lead to a change in policy.
Today’s motion comes as Catholic Bishops in Ireland issue a pastoral message on the homelessness crisis.
Latest figures from the Department of Housing show that there are no signs of the problem abating any time soon.
It’s led to Bishops calling for state-owned land to be used for local authority housing and not given to private developers.
They’re also calling for a number of other measures including caps on the price of privately sold building land and Bishop of Killaloe Fintan Monahan insists the government needs to act now to provide what is a basic human right.
