The country is in the middle of the biggest housing crisis in the history of the state. There are 10 000 people registered homeless. Nationally in the last ten years the construction of social housing has been at its lowest in the history of the state.

The record in South Dublin County Council on housing is no better. In 2017 not a single house was built by the council.

The current proposed housing construction will not come near meeting the need of people in South Dublin.

We need a significant change of policy and action to build housing.

Most importantly we need to stop selling off of public land. There is approximately 3300 hectares of land owned by the local authority, which should be used for council developed social and affordable housing, not sold off to private developers.

The Progressive Alliance which has been the ruling coalition in South Dublin County Council has, so far, failed to substantially address the housing crisis. Unfortunately there seems to be no difference in terms of actions if there is a centre-left Progressive Alliance Mayor or a right wing Fine Gael/Fianna Fail Mayor.

We have been proactively looking for a new approach and a commitment to stop the selling off of public land. We would have voted for any progressive nominee willing to make such a commitment.

Unfortunately no group or party made such a commitment and hence we put forward our own candidate for Mayor Cllr Madeleine Johansson and for Deputy Mayor Cllr Mick Murphy.

Our nominees were unsuccessful but we will continue to campaign for and organise our local communities to demand public housing.