Labour accused of passing ‘right-wing’ Fine Gael legislation

Labour Minister of State Jan O’Sullivan was accused of delivering Fine Gael’s local election manifesto as controversial housing legislation passed all stages in the Dáil by 70 votes to 35.

The Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill, which deals with the contentious housing assistance payment (HAP) as well as antisocial behaviour and tenant purchase, now goes to the Seanad.

Independent TD Catherine Murphy said the Fine Gael local election manifesto “matches completely what the Minister of State is doing”.

The Kildare North TD was one of a number of Opposition TDs who criticised a provision that receiving the payment “shall be deemed to be an appropriate form of social housing support for a household”. Critics of the move believe recipients will be considered permanently housed with no further State responsibility.

Ms O’Sullivan, who has special responsibility for housing, insisted that HAP recipients would “keep their time accrued” on the social housing waiting list.

She said she would introduce a statutory instrument or regulation to ensure this, but Ms Murphy said “it doesn’t make any sense at all” that the Minister would not include this guarantee in primary legislation.

Ms Murphy quoted the Fine Gael manifesto that once HAP recipients source their housing “they will be deemed to have their housing need met”.

Ms Murphy warned Ms O’Sullivan not to let the housing legislation be a regret. “She should not be the one delivering a really poor outcome for people who really require the Labour Party to stamp their authority on this matter. Anything less is a con job, and people will see it as such.”

Fianna Fáil’s Seán Ó Fearghaíl said “I accept the Minister’s bona fides in this, but this is right-wing Fine Gael legislation. There must be Labour Party people turning in their graves at the prospect of what she is doing in this legislation.”

Socialist TD Ruth Coppinger described the legislation as a “landlord’s charter”. The Minister should withdraw the Bill.

Ms O’Sullivan said she was committed to providing assistance payment recipients and other social housing tenants “equal opportunity to access other forms of social housing support, including incremental purchase schemes”.