Our pigheaded politicians don’t seem to have a clue how the housing crisis is ruining Irish society |
USUALLY when politicians or governments continue doing the wrong thing, despite multiple sources telling them they’re wrong, we assume incompetence.
Maybe it’s our better nature that tells us these people, who asked to become public servants, wouldn’t do it just to be evil.
I’ve had multiple conversations on a personal level with Fine Gael/Fianna Fáil backbencers who stare dead-eyed at me when I explain how the housing crisis affects people.
I walk away from some west-of-Ireland auctioneer or solicitor by trade and know that they haven’t a clue.
Róisín Lanigan: To be Irish in England today is to be the punchline of an unfunny joke
It’s not that they hate poor people, they just don’t know any.
They are not free from blame, these sons and daughters of TDs who waltz into their seat, but they’re not in charge.
In the Republic, a well-documented housing crisis is ruining society.
It is creating mental health issues, exacerbating domestic violence, and in time will be called on to apologise as a state for the children they have traumatised.
The men in charge – the same men in the same parties who have been in charge for over a decade – claim they’re working every day to end it.
Their latest brainwave was to reset rental rules, which came into force in March 1.
It means landlords will not be able to reset rents to market value for existing tenants even if their tenancy is up for renewal.
The government were told by everyone with any........