Senator Rebecca Moynihan was speaking ahead of the Raise the Rood rally last weekend.
"We in the Labour Party firmly believe that the State should be the lead provider of housing," said Senator Moynihan. "We need to see government scale up the measures in Housing for All with a particular focus on the cost rental model.
"The most glaring example of inequality in Ireland today is that of the housing and homelessness crisis, with the Government still failing to deliver adequate affordable and social housing. Supply is a key issue. As we anticipate record breaking levels of homelessness this winter, we know there are thousands of vacant sites and properties dotted around the country which could be utilised.
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"Government has simply failed to get a handle on the rental crisis in particular. A huge difference can be made quickly for renters through the implementation of Labour's Renters' Rights Bill. It would introduce a rent register to provide transparency in the rental market. With fewer and fewer properties even available to rent, there's a clear power imbalance between landlords and renters. By enabling prospective tenants to see what the previous tenant was charged, we can introduce more fairness into the market.
"The housing crisis is the crisis issue of this generation. How many more reports need to come out before it is treated with the urgency it requires? Housing is a basic human need, not something optional. As such, a market approach to housing will inevitably fail, as it has failed in Ireland and elsewhere, again and again."
