Sinn Féin spokesperson on Social Protection Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire TD has said that the Taoiseach ‘appears unable to accept responsibility for anything’ and is acting as a commentator on crises that he and his government have created.

He was speaking as Simon Harris blamed the housing crisis on migration. 

Teachta Ó Laoghaire:

“Simon Harris has been in government for 13 years, and has sat at the Cabinet table for 8 years. He is responsible for the failures of successive governments, yet he’s assumed the role of a commentator and he’s being let get away with it.

“Homelessness has been rising relentlessly since 2011. The common denominator? Fine Gael in Government, propped up by Fianna Fáil since 2016.

“The truth is that the government parties have created a housing crisis that has continued to escalate. Fine Gael have created the housing crisis, and it gets worse every day that they are in government.

 “Fine Gael have also made a mess of the international protection system. Decisions are far, far too slow, communication and consultation is a mess, enforcement of decisions is inadequate, and the approach to accommodation relies heavily on the private sector, and has resulted in the enrichment of a small number of private operators and the antagonising of entire communities.

“The Taoiseach now seeks to use one of his failures to excuse another. The truth is that the government parties have created a housing crisis and they’ve failed to implement an international protection system that works.

“The Taoiseach is a responsibility free zone. 

“There is no crisis that the Taoiseach cannot find someone else to blame for. Whether it is migrants, the opposition, the HSE, whoever. The bike shed is someone else’s fault. The Children’s Hospital – someone else’s fault. Children with scoliosis living in agony on waiting lists – someone else’s fault. And now it seems that the housing crisis isn’t his fault either. 

“Someone needs to tell Simon Harris that when you are Taoiseach, the buck stops with you. The housing crisis is as a result of his policies. 

“While Sinn Féin have brought forward solutions to address both the housing and international protection systems, Simon Harris, on the other hand, reminds everyone that he is unable to take responsibility for anything.”