News

Chronic underfunding of policing and safety initiatives in Ballymun has exposed children to the horrors of the drug trade, according to Social Democrats TD Rory Hearne. Deputy Hearne, who represents the Ballymun area, said: “Yesterday’s incident in Ballymun happened as a result of safety and drug-related intimidation being left unchallenged in the community by successive […]

The Government is putting AirBnB ahead of renters as short term rental legislation is delayed, according to Social Democrats housing spokesperson Rory Hearne and Galway West byelection candidate Míde Nic Fhionnlaoich. Deputy Hearne said: “It’s been a year since Enterprise Minister Peter Burke secured Cabinet approval to publish the General Scheme of the new Short […]

It has never been clearer that Government housing policies are the leading contributor to evictions and homelessness, according to Social Democrats housing spokesperson Rory Hearne. Deputy Hearne said: “Today’s figures show there were a record 17,517 people living in homeless emergency accommodation at the end of March. Shockingly, 5,571 of them are children, another devastating […]

The Government will oversee an even greater spike in homelessness if it does not immediately introduce a no-fault eviction ban, according to Social Democrats housing spokesperson Rory Hearne. Deputy Hearne said: “Evictions in the final quarter of 2025 were up 41% on the same period the year before, while over 20,000 notices to quit were […]

The Government’s ‘beds in sheds’ plan going before Cabinet today is a recipe for exploitation and substandard accommodation, according to Social Democrats housing spokesperson Rory Hearne. Deputy Hearne said: “Hiding a generation in back gardens is not a solution to our housing crisis. There are so many flaws in this half-baked plan that it’s difficult […]

The increased prevalence of multi-person room share arrangements operating under licence agreements risks dragging the country back to the dark days of the tenements, according to Social Democrats housing spokesperson Rory Hearne. Deputy Hearne said: “The Journal reported today that one former office building in Dublin city centre has been converted into a residential property […]

It’s beyond belief that the Government is boasting about its housing achievements when new figures reveal it failed to provide a single affordable purchase home in our capital last year, according to Social Democrats housing spokesperson Rory Hearne. Deputy Hearne said: “Today’s figures from the Department of Housing are caked in spin to obscure the […]

The Government must clarify how its new derelict property tax will succeed where plans of a similar nature have crashed and burned, according to Social Democrats housing spokesperson Rory Hearne TD. Deputy Hearne said: “While this tax is needed, there is no guarantee that it will be introduced effectively by Government. If we look to […]

The Government is telling a generation of young people that their future is living in a shed in the back of a garden, according to Social Democrats housing spokesperson Rory Hearne. Deputy Hearne said: “The Government’s ‘beds in sheds’ policy is pockmarked with a litany of flaws. There is no mechanism to prevent these sheds […]

Today’s harrowing record-high homelessness figures are an indictment of a Government which has completely lost control of Ireland’s housing emergency, according to Social Democrats housing spokesperson Rory Hearne. Deputy Hearne said: “Today’s figures show there were a record 17,308 people living in homeless emergency accommodation at the end of February. Shockingly, 5,457 of them are […]