29/09/2015

DCC Call For Housing Crisis To Be Declared 'National Emergency'

Dublin City Council housing committee has voted unanimously to call on Minister Alan Kelly to declare the housing crisis a 'National Emergency'.

The council took the vote at a meeting held on Monday night.

Speaking after the meeting, Cllr. Daithí Doolan, chair of Dublin City Council's housing committee, said: "It is very significant that this all party committee has unanimously demanded that Minster Kelly declare Dublin's housing crisis a 'National Emergency'. We did not take this action lightly.

"This Government can no longer spin or blame its way out of this crisis. The situation requires decisive action. A 'National Emergency' must be declared and Minister Kelly must contact the EU Commission as a matter of urgency to put forward our case.

"This will allow the Government take practical steps to provide real solutions to the housing crisis in Dublin. It will give access to essential funding for Dublin City Council to build social housing. It also allows us to speed up the public procurement process which can delay the building of social housing for months and months.

"To do nothing only compounds this human crisis. Providing homes must be a political priority before more people lose their lives on the streets of Dublin."

(MH/CD)

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