Cháin urlabhraí Gaeilge, Gaeltachta, Ealaíon, Cultúir, Turasóireachta agus Meán Shinn Féin, Aengus Ó Snodaigh TD, an tAire Tithíochta, Rialtais Áitiúil agus Oidhreachta Darragh O’Brien TD, as a chinneadh gan ceist Dála a fhreagairt faoin ngéarchéim tithíochta sa Ghaeltacht.

Chinn an Roinn Tithíochta ceist a chur an Teachta Ó Snodaigh bunaithe ar an gclár faisnéise reatha Iniúchadh TG4, “Níl Aon Tinteán” a dhiúltú agus a chur ar aghaidh go dtí Aire Turasóireachta, Cultúir, Ealaíon, Gaeltachta, Spóirt agus Meán.

Dúirt an Teachta Ó Snodaigh:

“Tá sé thar a bheith náireach nach bhfuil an tAire Tithíochta sásta fiú ceist a fhreagairt maidir lena dteip iomlán maidir le cás na tithíochta sa Ghaeltacht.

“Léiriú atá ann ar an easpa muiníne, nó b’fhéidir an easpa leithscéal, atá ag an Aire O’Brien ina gcuid obair féin, agus ar an easpa measa atá ag Fianna Fáil do mhuintir na Gaeltachta.

“Mar chuid den cheist, d’fhiafraigh mé “an dáta faoina bhfoilseofar na treoirlínte pleanála tithíochta a bhí geallta in 2021”, rud atá faoi chúram an Aire Tithíochta, ach ar chúis éicint beidh orm anois freagra a fháil ón Aire Gaeltachta ag rá go bhfuil an mileán don easpa treoirlínte ar an Aire Tithíochta. Tá beagnach bliain imithe ó bhí ‘pass the parcel’ á n-imirt acu maidir le cé atá freagrach as an moilleadóireacht seo, agus fós tá Darragh O’Brien ag diúltú freagrachta. Anois níl sé fiú sásta ceist a fhreagairt, rud atá drochbhéasach don phobal.

“Rinne Iniúchadh TG4 éacht ag nochtadh na fíric sa Ghaeltacht, áit nach bhfuil teaghlaigh Gaeltachta in ann tithe a aimsiú chun cónaí ann fad is atá Airbnb ag fás as cuimse fud na háite inti.

“Teastaíonn cur chuige dáiríre ón rialtas, ach arís níl le feiceáil ach iarrachtaí éalú ón gcuntasaíocht ag droch-Aire atá freagrach as praiseach a dhéanamh den tithíocht sa Ghaeltacht agus lasmuigh di.

“Tá plean ag Sinn Féin chun dul i ngleic leis an ngéarchéim Tithíochta, agus plean ar leith don Tithíocht Gaeltachta ach go háirithe. Teastaíonn plean agus rialtas nua chun tabhairt faoi.”

Shameful that Housing Minister won’t answer question on Gaeltacht Housing – Aengus Ó Snodaigh TD

Sinn Féin Gaeilge, Gaeltacht, Arts, Culture, Tourism and Media spokesperson, Aengus Ó Snodaigh TD, has criticised the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage Darragh O’Brien TD, for his decision not to answer a Dáil question about the housing crisis in the Gaeltacht.

The Department of Housing chose to reject Teachta Ó Snodaigh’s question based on the Iniúchadh TG4 current affairs documentary, “Níl Aon Tinteán”, and forward it to the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media.

Teachta Ó Snodaigh said:

“It is beyond shameful that the Housing Minister is not happy to even answer a question about his total failure in relation to housing in the Gaeltacht.

“This is an indication of the lack of confidence Minister O’Brien has in his own work, or maybe his lack of excuses, and the lack of respect Fianna Fáil has for Gaeltacht communities.

“As part of the question, I asked for “the date by which the housing planning guidelines promised in 2021 would be published”, something that the Housing Minister is responsible for, but for some reason I’ll know have to wait for an answer from the Gaeltacht Minister which will blame the Housing Minister for the lack of guidelines. Almost a year has passed since they were playing ‘pass the parcel’ over who was responsible for the delay, and Darragh O’Brien is still dodging accountability. Now he’s not even happy to answer a question, which is insulting to the community.

“Iniúchadh TG4 did great work exposing the true situation in the Gaeltacht, where Gaeltacht families can’t find a home to live in while Airbnb is growing all around at an unprecedented rate.

“We need a serious approach from Government, but yet again all we have is an attempt to escape accountability by a bad Minister responsible for making a hames of housing both inside and outside the Gaeltacht.

“Sinn Féin has a plan to address the housing crisis, and a specific plan for Gaeltacht housing in particular. A plan is needed, and a new Government to put it in place.”