FF react to SF consititutional amendment for Housing

national | miscellaneous | opinion/analysis Thursday November 13, 2003 16:43 by SF member

FF's Pat Carey reacts very negatively to SF housing campaign and seems to suggest that a consititutional amendment would be bad as it would mean the state would be obliged to provide adequate housing to its citzens - god forbid that would be a good thing!

Statement From Fianna Fáil Press Office

Sinn Fein's motion this week calling for a constitutional amendment to enshrine the right to housing is full of hollow rhetoric, empty gestures and meaningless slogans. If carried out, it would cause mayhem in the housing market according to Fianna Fáil Dublin North West Deputy Pat Carey TD.

"What would the provision of a statutory right to housing achieve? It would be a step backwards and would threaten our ability to prioritize housing policies and measures in favour of those most in the need. This is because an approach based on the assertion of personal legal rights could allow less needy people to litigate their way to the front."

"The Bill would for the same reason place greater pressure on housing services and its wider effects on the housing market would be incalculable. Is Sinn Fein's attachment to legal principles worth the risk of derailing a housing strategy, which is clearly demonstrated to be having a positive effect?

We are now building some 15 houses per 1,000 population annually which is by far the highest rate of output in the European Union and over four times that of Britain. We are also pressing ahead with the largest area regeneration programme ? Ballymun - in the European Union where we will be providing about 2,900 new low-rise houses over the next six years. This year alone we expect to see the completion of about 400 new houses in Ballymun.

5,000 residents have already been designated new homes and 22 of the 36 existing flat blocks have now been earmarked for demolition over the next four years.

We are modernising the private rented sector through comprehensive new legislation now before the House. We are expanding the range of social and voluntary housing measures and developing more focused responses to special housing needs.

A huge amount of money is being spent on inner city flat complexes under the remedial works programme. These include Oliver Bond flats, Nicholas Street-Ross Road, Liberty House and Mary Aikenhead House.

Fianna Fáil has tackled these issues and will continue to tackle them while people like Arthur Morgan and Sinn Féin whinge and engage in meaningless soundbytes. For Arthur Morgan to talk about Fianna Fail abdicating responsibility on housing is like the Manager of Scunthorpe FC lecturing Alex Ferguson and Manchester Utd on winning Championships.