Sir, – KT Walsh (February 25th) encourages your readers to ask would-be city councillors what they intend to do for the homeless. It is a fair question on a very serious issue.
As leader of the Labour Group on Dublin City Council I am proud that we rejected the manager’s proposals to reduce the sum available for homeless services in the budget this year. Instead, through careful analysis of the budget and political pressure we increased the funding available by €6 million. In contrast the far Left and Fianna Fáil sat idly by and indeed voted against the revised budget.
In my own electoral area I am proud to say that within the next three months we will see the fourth social and affordable housing scheme that I have proposed in recent years go for planning. Together with a earlier initiative I am happy to report that nearly 4,000 units have been provided arising from proposals I made. Sadly, given the abandonment of a social housing provision by the previous Government, this is not nearly enough. There is a long way to go and those with a track record of delivery are those best placed to deliver again. – Yours, etc,
Cllr DERMOT LACEY,
Beech Hill Drive,
Donnybrook,
Dublin 4.