Coveney’s ‘Action Plan for Housing’ delayed due to Summer holiday season
On Wednesday, the Irish Examiner published an article entitled Simon Coveney outlines plans for housing solution featuring an interview with the recently appointed Housing Minister. “I need to find ways of facilitating the building of significantly more houses than are being planned or delivered as soon as possible,” says Mr Coveney in the interview. This revelation comes as no surprise to the people of Ireland, many of whom are threatened by homelessness or have already lost their homes. Having a roof over your head should be viewed as a basic human right, but a large number of Irish children are growing up without a stable home.
On June 2nd, Minister Coveney gave an opening statement to the Special Oireachtas Committee on Housing and Homelessness. In this address, Coveney says “Housing is an absolute priority for this Government” and focuses on the ‘Action Plan for Housing’ which he has been tasked with preparing within the government’s first 100 days. He says the Action Plan will “focus in particular on those feeling most difficulty in accessing the housing and rental market at the moment” and aim to “expedite and boost supply of all types of housing, including social housing, in the immediate, medium and longer-terms.”
The Minister also lamented on the slow progress experienced thus far with regards to the housing crisis. “Just over 12,600 housing units were completed last year, almost half of which were individual or ‘one off houses.’ We need to be building somewhere in the region of 25,000 units per annum to meet the need and we need to ensure that these are in the right locations and of the right type to meet our evolving household formation and demographic patterns.”
Coveney uses words such as “immediate” and “intensive,” and phrases such as “number one priority” and “dire need” when discussing his plan to combat the housing crisis. Though he paints a pretty picture with his words, dialogue alone can’t keep Irish families safe and warm at night. It is action we need, and we’ve waited for it long enough. Unfortunately, these words—which seem laced with energy and inspiration—may seem contradictory when Coveney proceeds to say that the initial, 100-day housing plan deadline will not be met.
The reason for this delay? According to Coveney, it is because the deadline comes during a time when many government officials are on holidays. “One of the problems around the 100- day target is that it lands right in the middle of August,” states Coveney, “For obvious reasons, that poses a problem because many people are not focused on work in the middle of August.” While we all may need a holiday once in a while, this new information is disappointing, and seems insensitive when compared to the thousands of Irish residents who don’t have the luxury of a home, much less a holiday. Do their hardships take August off as well? Do the troubles they face daily also go on summer holiday?
A government’s main responsibility, at its core, should be to protect and serve its people. It is hard not to lose faith in the ferocity of this “new and improved” government when essential action is placed on hold so those whose job it is help us can jet off to Majorca and sip margaritas on the beach. For the citizens whose faith in their government has been continually tested as of late, this may come as yet another unfortunate blow that is destined to leave many hopeless. When will this crisis earn the reverence it deserves by those that have the power to really do something about it?
Feature image via businesspost.ie
