Clarke slams Government for failure to tackle local homeless crisis

Sinn Féin TD for Longford-Westmeath, Sorca Clarke, has slammed the Government for failing to resource local authorities and allow public homes to lie empty in the middle of a housing emergency, freedom of information data released to the party revealing that 43 council homes are currently boarded up in County Westmeath.

“Families in Westmeath are crying out for homes while perfectly good homes have been left to rot. We know that these cause dumping and anti-social behaviour. They stigmatise decent communities and for people in Westmeath they are a constant reminder of the government’s failures.

“There is nothing more insulting to those impacted by the housing crisis than the sight of a good home left empty. Each of these homes should have a family living in them, children growing up in those four walls. Instead, these homes are empty and children are growing up in hotels. That is beyond scandalous.

“I am sick and tired of the Government’s excuses and broken promises. They try to blame everyone but themselves. The reality is that this is an issue in all local authorities and in far too many communities because of their failings. They do not provide enough funding to maintain homes and they do not provide enough funding to return them to use.

“Local authority should be funded to do their job. Instead, red-tape and bureaucracy coupled with underfunding leave homes empty for years.

“About one in every 55 council homes in Westmeath are vacant, while I receive endless emails and phone calls every day from people that are desperately in need of housing. Seven of these homes have been vacant for almost a year.

“These empty homes are a constant reminder of the failures of Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael. If they cared about our communities, about families and about children growing up in hotels, these homes would not be empty for years on end. They should be moving heaven and earth to ensure families are making memories in these four walls.

“It is just not right that there are adults stuck living in their parent’s back bedroom while the house next door is boarded up and empty, that there are young people boarding planes to start lives in Australia when they could be starting lives in these empty homes and that there are children walking home from school today past empty homes to the hotel room they share with their entire family.

“A Sinn Féin Government would not stop until long-term vacancy in Council homes had been ended. We would cut the red tape and end the bureaucracy. We would do everything to ensure that nobody watches homes rot while they cannot access secure accommodation," Teachta Clarke said.