Housing

Housing

130. This Ard Fheis notes that Sinn Féin: 

·    has opposed the creation of NAMA which favours banks and developers over the average citizen, and drafted economically sound alternative proposals.

·    proposes that the benefits of NAMA should be extended to homeowners on low and average incomes, particularly those in negative equity.

·    believes that reducing the mortgage repayment burden for those on low and average incomes will have a stimulating impact on the economy and will lead to an increase in consumer spending.

This Ard Fheis therefore proposes that the Irish Government should legislate to: 

·    write off the difference between the purchase price of a dwelling and its current market value for those households with mortgages taken out on primary residences since 2004 up to €500,000.

·    set a 30% limit in writing off a portion of these mortgages.

·    permit customers whose mortgage is on their primary residence to move from fixed term interest to variable rates without incurring a financial penalty.

Cumann Séamus Uí Chonghaile, Baile Fhormaid, Baile Átha Cliath

PASSED

131. This Ard Fheis, in recognition of the hardship people are facing in the recession and economic crisis, reiterates our call for a moratorium on home repossessions for at least as long as the bank guarantee scheme is in place and calls for long term reform in the area of home repossessions.

Charlie McGlade Cumann, Drimnagh, Dublin

Ógra Átha Cliath

Keating/Sands Cumann, Port Lairge

PASSED

132 This Ard Fheis calls on the Irish Government to ensure:  

·    the Department of Social and Family Affairs in conjunction with the social partners, conducts an impact assessment of the previous changes to rent supplement on claimants before considering any further changes to rent supplement.

·    rent supplement is also made available on a means tested basis to people working full-time, in order to ensure that poverty traps associated with the administration of rent supplement are removed.

·    tenant deposits in the rented sector are paid to the Private Residential Tenancies Board (PRTB) rather than the landlord.

·    the setting of a target of ensuring that the state has 200,000 social housing units in stock, and agrees a programme of compulsory acquisition and/or building to ensure that a net figure of 10,000 new social housing units are brought on stream each year from 2010.

Cumann Séamus Uí Chonghaile, Baile Fhormaid, Baile Átha Cliath

PASSED

133. This Ard Fheis: 

• opposes the privatisation of social housing and supports the construction of new units to meet the housing needs of people on long housing waiting lists.

• recognises that the slowdown in construction in the private residential sector means less social and affordable units are available under Part V of the Planning and Development Act.

• opposes the introduction of a new scheme whereby local authorities lease properties from developers and landlords for 10-20 year periods and where the local authority assumes responsibility for the upkeep and maintenance of such properties.

• sees this as another bailout for developers, multiple property owners and banks.

• believes this is a bad deal for prospective local authority tenants who could end up displaced from what will have become the family home after lease expires.

• believes that this scheme is not cost-effective and will result in billions of Euro being unnecessarily paid on an annual basis to private landowners.

• supports as a short-term measure local authorities buying unsold properties at cost price, as a more cost effective and equitable way of delivering social housing.

• reiterates support for Sinn Féin’s policy on delivery of social housing as outlined in our policy document ‘Housing is a Right – All Ireland Housing Policy 2007’.

Cathal Brugha/Kevin Lynch Cumann, Waterford

West Limerick Cumann

Costello/Hurson Cumann, Athlone

PASSED

134. Motion Withdrawn

135. This Ard Fheis views with concern the refusal of the 6 Counties Social Development Minister to provide a proper registration scheme for private rented sector, and commits itself to work to bring order to this unregulated sector, which is in receipt of upwards of £88 million pounds of public money annually.

Cúige Uladh 

PASSED