So cards on the table regarding a few comments here and there people have made on other threads.
To anyone who has a maths ability beyond senior infants, a contributory factor to the shortage of affordable rental property in urban areas in Ireland is migration. It isn't the only cause, but it is the main one, yet not a single one of the politicians who do the loudest ranting about the housing crisis will touch it with a barge pole. Solidarity, PBP, Sinn Fein, they don't want to know. To admit the problem isn't to be racist to anyone- I don't hold a grudge towards anyone for coming here to improve their lot. But at a time of essentially national emergency, the crisis could be cooled nearly overnight with a few simple measures
- temporarily suspend EU free movement. Initiate a system of work permits- migrants are admitted according to their experience/ intended work sector. People are allowed in for specified skill shortage areas like construction and IT. People are not allowed in to work in warehouses for 9.80 an hour. End result- less rental pressure and employers can no longer take the piss with rates offered.
- pull out of any EU refugee relocation scheme that involves us providing housing out of our own taxes. A country that has people on social housing lists for 12 years that suddenly realises it can find Syrians a permanent home within 3 months of arrival is a sick society.
- audit the welfare and social housing rolls for current residents from abroad, to weed out those who haven't put a shift in. If a previous government's incompetence resulted in you being allowed to stay, and an audit shows you've spent most of that time on welfare, home you go.
What is so radical and unspeakable about these ideas? Why won't any mainstream political party of TD address the issue? To my knowledge a handful of SF, Labour and FG local councillors who dared raise the issue were either censured or outright kicked out of their respective parties.
I mean, look at this. Just look (registration required)
https://www.thetimes.co.uk/edition/ireland/human-rights-challenge-issued-to-social-housing-policy-for-non-irish-f6vhfnr20?t=ie
A gypsy family arrive in the country, work for all of 3 months, spent two years in a homeless hub at god knows how much cost to the state while fighting legal aid cases to be entitled to dole (successfully) and entitled to subsidised housing (pending)
Or where were the pricks from Raise the Roof and Home Sweet Home when Kilkenny council was buying properties, knowing tenants would be evicted, because it decided some folks from abroad were a better class of people?
http://www.munster-express.ie/front-page-news/ferrybank-housing-reshuffle/
What kind of a parallel ****ing universe am I living in where all this is acceptable conduct? Where politicians are so afraid of being labelled as racist that they will stand by and have people kicked out of their homes to make way for new arrivals?