Louth PBP representative criticises programme for government

James Renaghan , People Before Profit public representative for Louth has criticised the new Programme for Government, published on Wednesday, saying it, "has completely failed to offer solutions to the housing emergency and health crisis."

"The annual target for new social housing has increased just marginally from 10,000 to 12,000 homes, far below what is required to begin addressing the housing emergency. The document makes no meaningful commitments on increasing targets on new affordable housing or to control rents. 

"Critically there is no plan to significantly increase state capacity to build social and affordable homes, meaning that the government’s housing targets are completely dependent on what the market may or may not build based on what developers judge is profitable for them, rather than on the urgent need for tens of thousands of social and affordable homes.

"Adults stuck living at home with their parents or paying a huge portion of their income in rent will despair at this Programme for Government and the complete lack of hope it offers them."

On international matters, he further said: "the plan to 'reform’ the Triple Lock can be viewed as nothing other than a clear threat to our neutrality. It is also deeply concerning that the commitment to implement the Occupied Territories Bill is very vague, as are commitments for other sanctions against Israel for its genocidal campaign in Gaza. The commitment to give effect to the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance ‘Working Definition of Antisemitism’ is an alarming move, as it collapses the distinction between antisemitism and legitimate criticism of Israel’s apartheid regime and occupation of Palestine. 

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"In contrast to the failures on housing and many other areas, yesterday’s launch of the Programme for Government gave Big Tech a major boost. This ‘Programme for Big Tech’ is full of excited talk about AI as if it's a magic solution to everything and anything. Big Tech is also boosted by the programme commitment to ensure Ireland is a major location for data centres. This is a recipe for disaster. Data centres already consume over 21% of electricity and this will continue to increase sharply. Data centres will make it impossible for Ireland to meet its climate commitments if their continued growth is not halted. But the Programme for Government will turbo-charge their growth and accelerate the charge toward climate disaster.

"The Programme for Government fails on housing, health and so many other important areas while boosting Big Tech at the expense of our environment. If there were any doubts about the nature and priorities of the incoming government, those doubts are now dispelled. 

"People Before Profit’s focus now moves to mobilising opposition to the incoming government, both inside and outside the Dáil, to demand an end to the housing crisis, for investment in health and public services, and for radical climate action to halt the slide to climate catastrophe.”