Modular housing agreed by Dublin City councillors – as an emergency measure

COUNCILLORS agreed by a majority vote at the monthly meeting of Dublin City Council on Monday night, to proceed with modular housing as an emergency measure.

The idea is to use this as emergency accommodation so that families on the homeless list are not condemned to live in hotel and B&B rooms.

This proposal has been extensively debated by the Council's Housing Committee and by the City Council itself at its September meeting, where it was endorsed. Councillors have seen the types of modular housing on offer by the firms who manufacture them. Now is the time to get on with it.

Contrary to some of what has appeared on Facebook, this proposal did not drop from the sky and was not rammed through the Council.

We in Sinn Féin see this as just one small part of the solution to the housing crisis. It is no substitute for the construction of council housing for rent and affordable housing for purchase.

Our party's updated comprehensive housing policy will be out shortly. 

Below is the statement of my colleague Sinn Féin Councillor Daithí Doolan (pictured), Cathaoirleach of the Dublin City Council Housing Committee.

“Dublin is in the midst of an unprecedented housing crisis. Nowhere is it more clearly seen than in the numbers of families confined to hotels and B&Bs.

“The proposal to build modular housing must be part of an overall strategy to tackle homelessness in Dublin.

“Before any modular units are used, the Environment Minister must answer a number of questions, including where will these units be located, how many units per site, the size of the units, and there must be a sunset clause on the length of time families will be housed in these units.

“The modular homes, if utilised, must be fully serviced by amenities.

“There are a lot of questions that will need to be answered before these units are introduced.

“It is not the panacea to our housing crisis – it is a temporary solution focused on meeting the needs of families in hotels and B&Bs.

“We must remain focused on tackling the causes of homelessness, which is the lack of affordable, secure housing.

“The Environment Minister must remain true to his word and release funding for a social housing build programme to meet the needs of 21,000 families on our housing list. Simply put, we need to start building houses, otherwise we will be limping from crisis to crisis.”