"The housing crisis is not confined to Dublin"

Local Sinn Féin TD Brian Stanley has told the Dáil that the housing crisis is affecting all parts of the country and that there is an urgent need for affordable housing in the Laois/Offaly constituency.

"The housing crisis is not confined to Dublin. There is a housing crisis across the country. In the Midlands, including Laois-Offaly, thousands of families are trapped in the rental market often at the mercy of rack-renting landlords," he said during a Dáil debate on Tuesday.

He said he was aware of one family where "the sole earner is a labourer with the county council and the family cannot get on the council housing list."

"Unfortunately for many of these families, their income is just above the very low threshold required of council housing waiting lists and at the same time they have no hope of a mortgage off a bank," he added.

Criticising the "lack of ambition" from what he termed the "conservative coalition", he highlighted rising rents in Laois and Offaly.

"In Laois, rents are up 7.3% to an average of €1,002, compared to last year. Offaly is showing a similar increase, up 5.7% to €935.

"A family of four can't get on the housing waiting list if they earn over €528 a week and a couple without children can't have an income above €504. This is totally unsustainable. Sinn Féin wants to deliver solutions for these workers and their families."

Deputy Stanley said that the approach of the coalition Government lacked targets for the delivery of affordable to purchase homes or cost rental properties.

"A firm plan and clear targets are necessary to enable those workers families trapped in insecure private rental accommodation to provide a home for themselves," he said.