Local authorities told they will lose powers if housing policies not implemented

Ireland’s housing minister has threatened a number of local authorities over their failure to deal with the massive housing crisis in the country.

Eoghan Murphy said he has written to “two or three” local authorities warning them he would remove their powers if they did not implement housing policies.

Mr Murphy said he understood there is a lot of frustration and hurt caused by the housing crisis.

He said that while the Government is committed to “fixing the problem”, some local authorities are taking “too much time”.

Speaking at the Fine Gael Think In event in Co Galway, he said: “I think it’s right for people to say enough is enough in certain areas when we see the number families that are in emergency accommodation today and tonight and it’s unacceptable.

“That’s why I wrote to certain local authorities yesterday to tell them that there are changes they need to make immediately and if they don’t I will have recourse for emergency powers within my department to step in and take control of some of those functions so that I can be sure working with the best people possible that we can get those families out of emergency accommodation and get them into homes.”

His comments come as proposals to establish a Land Development Agency were unveiled at the Parliamentary Party meeting in Salthill.

It will be funded by £1.25 billion which the Taoiseach Leo Varadkar said would allow the Government to build social and affordable homes.

While Mr Murphy refused to reveal the authorities he has contacted, he added that “two or three” have not put in place housing crisis solutions.

“For those authorities who are not implementing policies I will be dealing with them directly – there are powers available to me under the Housing Act to be able to do that,” he added.

He said that local authorities have emergency powers at their disposal to put these arrangements in place and that a number are being “too slow” to act on these.

“The buck does stop with me,” he said.

“If they don’t do this I have recourse to appoint a person or bring a function back into the department to make sure it is happening in that area.”

The minister referred to the Government’s five-year housing plan adding that there is “no quick fix” solution to the growing housing crisis.

Government figures show there are 9,891 homeless people living in Ireland, a rise of 19 from June.

The Housing Minister has faced mounting pressure and criticism after a homeless woman and her seven children were forced to sleep at a Garda station last month.

Finance Minister Paschal Donohoe stepped in during the media briefing to support his party colleague saying that Mr Murphy was committed to deal with the issues.

He said: “While others in other oppositions parties are attacking Eoghan personally, what we are all seeing from Eoghan is his personal determination to deal with one of the most difficult issues we have in our society and our economy.

“I can think of no one more committed to deal with these or has a better grasp of what we need to do.”

Mr Murphy accused some authorities of using “excuses which were unacceptable” and threatened that if they did implement their emergency powers, he would be forced to step in.

He continued: “When I look at emergency accommodation, not enough progress has been made and it’s unacceptable we continue to see an increase in the number of families and individuals in emergency accommodation and it’s unacceptable that two or three local authorities are not putting in place solutions that I have given them the resources for, the policies for and the money for.

“Now it’s time for them to do that and I have been quite clear about that.”