Article from the March 2006 issue of the Socialist
newspaper of the Socialist Party, Irish section of the CWI
Rat infestation, massive waiting lists...

Cork's housing crisis

By Councillor Mick Barry
Residents of Bellview Crescent flats on Cork city's northside staged a protest at the 13 February meeting of Cork City Council to highlight the crisis of rat infestation at their council flats' complex. They distributed letters from local doctor, Cyril Lane outlining his view that the flats' complex is a health hazard for residents.

Although the Council has taken some action to deal with the immediate threat from rats, the residents are being left to live in a complex which is cold (no central heating or insulation, single-glazed aluminium windows), damp and potentially unsafe (no fire escapes). The Bellview Crescent residents are at the sharp end of Cork city's housing crisis.

The March meeting of Cork City Council's Housing Committee was told that, as of 28 February, there were:

• 5,414 applicants either on or awaiting report for Cork City Council's social housing waiting list.
  
• 1,129 applicants on Cork City's affordable housing lists.
  
• 1,739 Council tenants with transfer requests.
  
• The combined total of the three lists is a staggering 8,282.
  

I will be hosting a citywide public meeting to protest this situation in the Victoria Hotel, Patrick St. /Cook St., on Thursday, 6 April at 8pm.

It is clear that the FF-PD government and the FF-FG-Labour pact that runs Cork City Council have failed the people on the housing issue.

The Socialist Party believes that the following must be implemented immediately as a step towards dealing with this crisis:

The Socialist Party is campaigning for:

• A massive increase in government funding for council housing budgets.
• Re-establishment of Cork City Council's direct building labour unit.
• An emergency social housing building programme to provide for those on the waiting lists.
• Refurbishment for Bellview Crescent and other run-down flats' complexes. Provide alternative accomodation for the Bellview residents pending refurbishment.
• Extension of the city boundaries.
• Freedom for the Council to buy unzoned land at agricultural prices to build up a land bank.