“People want to see action in bricks and mortar not meaningless promises”
Meath East Workers’ Party candidate Seamus McDonagh has said the individuals and families on the County Meath housing waiting list are in total despair and will not be deceived by weasel words this time. They will only believe there is an end to their crisis in sight when they see bricks and mortar taking shape in the form of a massive social housing construction programme.
WP Meath East candidate Seamus McDonagh
“The Government’s response to the housing and homelessness crisis has been ‘a repeat of the same failed policies as housing waiting lists grow ever longer,” said Seamus McDonagh. Pointing out that around 5,000 people are currently on the Meath County Council housing list, while around 700 people are classified as homeless, the Workers’ Party candidate said the county was in the midst of an unprecedented housing crisis which could only be resolved through a major programme of investment and construction.
“Just as the working class people of Meath East don’t believe the coalition’s claims of ‘recovery’ they will only believe that progress is being made when they see it for themselves.”
McDonagh said that the Workers’ Party was the only party in this election which believed that the solution to the housing crisis was based on a massive state-driven house building programme delivered through fully funded local authority Direct Labour units.
“Developers and speculators build houses for profit, the state must build houses for people and make them available at an affordable rent and built to a high standard. We believe that Meath County Council should be funded and allowed to employ building workers directly to construct those homes just as they always did in the past”.
The Workers’ Party candidate said he was being inundated with appeals for help from people on the housing list, some of whom were living in cars and caravans, others sleeping on settees or floors in grossly overcrowded accommodation. “The housing crisis is not just another issue on a politicians’ checklist – it is a living nightmare for the 5,000 people on that list in Co. Meath and the 140,000 others throughout the state”, said Seamus McDonagh.