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Absentee Housing Minister fails to meet with Dublin City Council to discuss tenant-in-situ scheme

Social Democrats TD Rory Hearne has criticised Housing Minister James Browne’s failure to meet with Dublin City Council to discuss the tenant-in-situ scheme. Deputy Hearne, who is the party’s housing spokesperson, said: “Dublin’s Lord Mayor has written to the Minister three times to request a meeting to discuss the tenant-in-situ scheme. The only engagement from […]

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Entire country should be covered by short-term letting restrictions, not just larger towns

The government must clarify if planned restrictions on short-term lets will apply to towns located in Rent Pressure Zones (RPZs) where populations are under the 10,000 threshold provided for in the new regulations, according to Social Democrats TD Rory Hearne. Deputy Hearne, who is the party’s spokesperson on housing, said: “Under the Short-Term Letting and […]

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Overwhelming demand for affordable homes in south Dublin scheme highlights house-hunters’ desperation

The overwhelming demand for 30 affordable homes in a south Dublin housing scheme highlights the desperation felt by house-hunters, according to Social Democrats TD Rory Hearne. Deputy Hearne, who is the party’s housing spokesperson, said: “The pent-up demand for housing saw 640 applications received for just 30 affordable homes at Woodbrook in Shankill, a scheme […]

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Government must clarify who is telling the truth about €1bn funding for Uisce Éireann

The government must clarify who is telling the truth about €1bn in funding – it or Uisce Éireann, according to Social Democrats acting leader Cian O’Callaghan. Deputy O’Callaghan, the party’s Finance spokesperson, said: “Last year, then Finance Minister Jack Chamber and then Housing Minister Darragh O’Brien both claimed that the sale of AIB shares had […]

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Government’s choice of new housing tsar raises concerns

Social Democrats TD Rory Hearne has today written to Minister James Browne to express concern over the proposed appointment of Brendan McDonagh as the government’s new housing tsar. Deputy Hearne, who is the party’s housing spokesperson, said: “In my letter, I reminded the Minister that Mr McDonagh’s main role in NAMA was overseeing the fire […]

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Cuts to tenant-in-situ scheme will lead to further rise in homelessness

The removal of rent caps and cuts to the tenant-in-situ scheme will contribute to rising levels of homelessness, according to Social Democrats TD Rory Hearne. Deputy Hearne, who is the party’s housing spokesperson, made his comments as a new record high for homelessness was confirmed this afternoon. “Today’s figures show there were 15,418 people living in […]

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Dwindling number of HAP properties highlights complete dysfunction of housing policy

The dwindling number of properties available within Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) limits shows that the government’s ongoing reliance on the private rental market is not a sustainable model, according to Social Democrats TD Rory Hearne. Deputy Hearne, who is the party’s housing spokesperson, said: “The latest quarterly ‘Locked Out of the Market’ report from the […]

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