The government is hoovering up too much housing - the private working taxpayer is hurting

"...can rent privately easily." You haven't a clue about the rental situation in this country if that's what you think.

There are two houses to rent in Templemore atm. Garda can't just magic up houses out of nowhere. You don't seem to get that the housing problems are nationwide and not confined to the "big cities."

Blithe dismissal of real problems. Righteous but clueless.

I can tell you have no real experience of these problems because you seem to think you have all the answers but yet you don't. I pointed out the rental property shortage in Templemore and you respond that they should just buy then. That's a really clueless response that lacks any empathy or understanding.

The amount of red tape, issues etc., getting planning permission for a build would put anyone off

There needs to be some help for lower income, working class with getting homes either buying or renting, is there a rent to buy scheme?

If there was an GE tomorrow I haven't a clue who to vote as none appeal, offer any good solutions

Do you have any idea how much rent they paid for that opw house? I do. Basically nothing. That's why they were living in it, we all would if we had the chance.

I know exactly what the issues are around homelessness and lack of supply, took me 5 months to find my current rental, my friend and her family are at risk from homelessness, and the massive shortage of houses to buy means that I can't find anywhere to purchase. There are literally thousands of people who are sleeping on friends couches, parents spare rooms, families being split up and those are not even being counted in the homeless figures of over 12,000. There are whole families living in one bedroom in hotels.

There is a massive crisis, this Garda that had cheap rent in templemore really isn't any kind of victim of it.

In fairness, there's no mention of refugees in the post to which you are responding.

So why did you respond in the way that you did?

The author mentions immigration as one of the key reasons for the govt to invest in infrastructure, immediately. Not in 5 years time.

The article isnt blaming immigration, but it is attributing immigration as a central driver for the NEED to invest in societal infrastructure. More homes, schools, healthcare provision et al.

If we werent seeing such a large population increase (which is currently chiefly driven by immigration) then we wouldnt need to invest so much in services.

The article is simply pointing out what we all know.

The govt isn't investing in services, in line with a population increase, that the govt itself is nuturing.

And as a result, something has to give.

Yes, apologies, original IT article was quoted by another poster.

I just tagged on to your reply.

Blaming immigration for what, exactly?

I was pointing out my interpretation of the article.

I think, if anything, the article is blaming the govt for not responding to the population increase.

The govt is failing to provide a growth in social infrastructure and services that is commensurate with the growth in population.

I fully agree with that perspective.

Why should the State be subsidising home ownership?

It’s not just the “how much” question. There is the “how come” question, how come a Garda ends up renting from OPW?

They do, but they don’t usually rent them out to individual Garda.

You can lead a horse to water...

It does raise a question as to why precisely we are trying to raise our population

I think it is worse than you think, as of Sep 22 the total on the housing list was 57,842 not including transfer list or Hap.

One person households are in total 32,383 or 56%

Couple households are in total 2332 or 4%

Both groups add up to 60% of the total and would only get a One Bed property from all councils, but over the last five years nearly all property built in the country has been 2, 3, 4, or 4+ property with very few one beds built.

At present in my location there is building in three areas with a combined total of 329 Residential Properties, but with only 45 one bed Residential Properties according the council planning application online.

We need to stop priortising those that don't work, over those that do.

It is much easier to have a child if you are not working. Its all paid for.

Not the same when you have a job.

As usual the first reaction when times get tough is blame poor people and immigrants.

It's as depressing as it is predictable.

What is lacking in our immigration policies?

The HAP system should be for people who are long term unemployed and need assistance with housing. What we call social housing should really be reserved for those who work, contribute and need to be living near where they work. Social housing is objectively better than the private rental market for those on lower incomes, the current system encourages behavior to game the system (like having multiple kids when the parent cannot even look after themselves, never mind children). It should also be the case that the rent in a social house is uncapped, so that in cases where someone ends up on a six figure salary it becomes cheaper to just house themselves privately (e.g. John Brady TD in Bray lives in a council house). Social housing should also have an allocation for those who need to live in the area, but who cannot afford to due to their salaries (e.g. Nurses, teachers, guards etc).

Which Garda stations have houses attached that are rented out to Gardai by OPW?

In Limerick the County council is outbidding families with 2 working parents trying to get on the property ladder to instead provide a house to families who never worked or contributed anything to society only robbing houses & Selling drugs .

There are a few around, in places like Inis Mór. This was another

A housing estate recently developed on Childers road in Limerick had deposits handed back to potential private buyers after a housing charity bought up the entire estate!

It was never mentioned in the planning application that the housing estate was to be developed entirely as social housing!

It a complete disaster for private buyers and near on impossible to buy at the moment!

Yes. very unfair.

The govt is competing with its working population, whom can afford the private market, and is favouring the non-working people over those that contribute! Its madness.

Although if the estate you speak of is all social housing now, the private lot dodged a bullet with getting their deposits back and not buying there.