Sinn Féin TDs will address a public meeting on the housing crisis in Galway on Monday, 27 June from 7.30pm in the Temperance Hall, Loughrea.
The meeting will to be chaired by Galway West TD Mairéad Farrell and addressed by the party’s housing spokesperson Eoin Ó Broin TD.
Speaking in advance of the meeting, Deputy Ó Broin said that the housing crisis is getting worse and that rents and house prices are ‘continuing to spiral out of control’.
He said that neither the Minister for Housing, nor the government, have ‘the political will’ to introduce the kinds of policies that will reverse these trends.
“They continue to implement the same failed private sector led approach of the previous government,” he said, adding that a massive expansion of public housing is needed to meet social and affordable housing need.
Louis O’Hara of East Galway Sinn Féin, who will also address the meeting, added: “Galway County and City is experiencing a significant housing crisis situation, which plays a major role in the soaring cost of living for individuals and families.”
He said that rents in County Galway have increased by over 18% in the last year, with the average rent now standing at €1,176, while there has been a rise of over 13% in the City, leaving the average rental cost at over €1,500 per month.
“We also know that there has been a drop in the properties available across county and city.
“In fact the last Daft.ie report showed just 64 homes to rent in Cork, Galway, Limerick and Waterford cities combined on May 1st this year compared to over 350 during 2019.”
O’Hara encouraged anyone affected by the housing crisis to attend the public meeting to hear Deputy Ó Broin outline the solutions that exist and also to share their own experiences of the housing crisis.
