Anti-Austerity TD Ruth Coppinger has called on the Government to convert properties currently owned the state National Asset Management Agency (NAMA) into housing for the homeless.
Ms Coppinger’s call comes after she openly criticised the government for their lack of inaction regarding the current homelessness crisis. Ms Coppinger claimed the governments current lack of effort could lead to the deaths of more homeless people over the coming months. M Coppinger made the claim after there was wide spread media coverage concerning the death of a man who apparently fell whilst trying to gain entry to a boarded up house in Clondalkin on Monday. Deputy Coppinger slammed the government’s current handling of the situation and claimed there were a number of measures which would help alleviate the crisis.
Ms Coppinger told the Dáil: “We need Nama hotels to be opened up to cater for the homeless, and we need Nama property and land to be turned over to councils, (as well as) rent controls. “But ultimately we need houses to be built. It’s very simple. They haven’t been building any houses and the crisis is continuing. They need to give councils funds to build houses.”