Sir, – Is there really a need for a constitutional referendum on the right to housing?
The real difficulty in Ireland in recent years with housing has been the hands-off attitude of our various governments to the housing sector.
Our recent governments have pretty much allowed the construction industry to do as it pleases.
This has resulted in poorly laid out and illogical development of our urban areas.
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It has allowed land costs for building to reach astronomical heights.
It has allowed housing costs to accelerate far beyond what people can afford and it has allowed the construction of vast amounts of shoddily constructed dwellings, which are now to be rectified at great expense to the taxpayer, where that money could instead be going to building public rental housing, which is badly needed right now, if standards had been maintained and independent inspections carried out.
It has allowed the provision of a very basic necessity to become the plaything of speculators and investors, to the detriment of the common good.
What is really needed to fix the problems of housing in this country is for a change of attitude by our Government to the issue of housing: to take a far more involved and hands-on role in the provision of housing, to ensure sufficient housing and facilities are built, that housing is built to the standards laid down, that it is built where it needs to be built and when it needs to be built, and that vested interests, such as owners of zoned land or land with existing planning permission or existing property owners, are not allowed to delay the provision of housing where it is needed by not selling or building in a timely manner.
Article 43 of the Constitution allows for the compulsory purchase of private land if it is to the common good.
If used properly by government, the need for a divisive, and probably useless, referendum on the right to housing can be avoided.
Everybody is aware of the need for housing. It’s a basic human necessity.
What is ultimately needed is for Leo Varadkar, Micheál Martin and the parties they lead to wake up to that fact and act accordingly, for the common good, to ensure that basic human necessity is met.
A change in Government attitude is what’s really required, not a referendum. – Yours, etc,
DAVID DORAN.
Bagenalstown,
Co Carlow.
Sir, – Barry Walsh (Letters, August 5th) has asked me to reflect on my position (Letters, August 4th) regarding “democratic instructions”. I have duly reflected on his letter.
Borrowing Mr Walsh’s expression, I remain of the view that a constitutional right of access to housing for all is a virtue well worth signalling. – Yours, etc,
ANTHONY LAYNG,
Dublin 4.
