Listen – whether you love or hate Green TD Joe O’Brien, there’s one thing you can’t take away from that man; he truly understands the gravity of the housing crisis and the problems in Direct Provision.
Which makes it all the more confusing why he would oppose a social housing plan in his own neighbourhood.
You see, Joe is not like other, more detached politicians living in their ivory towers, unaware of the common man’s struggle. Joe O’Brien has spent years tweeting about the plight of aspiring homeowners and asylum seekers in Ireland. He’s really got his finger on the pulse of these gripping national crises.
'Getting worse by the night': TDs debate Ireland's growing housing crisis (via @thejournal_ie) http://t.co/PDsuIqOLpX
— Joe O'Brien TD for Dublin Fingal (@joefingalgreen) May 1, 2014
@cathmartingreen calling out direct provision and homelessness as major failures of government #green19 @greenparty_ie pic.twitter.com/EAkHQG0Ng9
— Joe O'Brien TD for Dublin Fingal (@joefingalgreen) July 13, 2019
And perhaps more importantly, he has a solution to both issues – a solution that he’s very passionate about:
He says we have to build more social housing.
Its the main & obvious answer & solution 2 housing & homelessness crisis.Government needs 2b pressed harder on why its not doing this enough https://t.co/el6KY2lywp
— Joe O'Brien TD for Dublin Fingal (@joefingalgreen) July 4, 2017
According to Joe, the government should build more social housing, and offer at least some of it as own-door accommodation to asylum seekers currently in Direct Provision.
He believes so strongly in this, that he gave the Department of Housing a right telling off recently when they called the idea “not workable.”
Joe told them that this attitude was “very unconstructive” and that it “crossed the line.”
“There has to be an understanding that we have 8,000-plus people whose situation is urgent,” he said.
“Society as a whole accepts the way they’re being looked after right now is not good enough. Everyone has to play their part in changing that.”
The Department of Housing’s criticism of proposals to end the State’s direct provision system are “very unconstructive” and have “crossed the line”, Green Party Minister of State Joe O’Brien has said. https://t.co/3BM7EFh7Pb
— Sorcha Pollak (@SorchaPollak) November 28, 2020
Strong words, alright – he really gave it to them with both barrels. The Department had said they had “significant concerns” that the idea was impractical, but Joe wasn’t having any of it. The crisis comes first, he said – come hell or high water.
However, it’s worth wondering what would happen if one of these social housing projects was to be placed, oh I don’t know…25 yards from Joe O’Brien’s house?
Let’s consult the Independent this week to find out:
“The Government minister in charge of community development is opposing public housing being built just 25 yards behind his own house…[He said]: “We absolutely need more housing and the housing completion rates have increased significantly in the last year. But people in Dublin Fingal know better than most that proper housing is not just bricks and mortar.”
Green Minister for Community opposes public housing just yards from his own home. https://t.co/JdjZf67z0Z
— Richard Chambers (@newschambers) January 28, 2022
He went on to claim that if the housing plan went ahead, it would make two sports pitches “unviable”, which he viewed as unacceptable. However, the local council denies this, saying:
“Fingal County Council says the two football pitches will not be impacted by any development. “It would be the council’s intention that the pitches are protected,” a spokesperson said.”
Whether that’s true or not, this is all a little bit strange, no?
When the Department of Housing tells Joe that plans to house asylum seekers are impractical, his attitude is “You are being unconstructive and crossing a line! These vulnerable people need our help urgently! We all have to do our part!”
But try to drop a housing plan on his front door, and suddenly things become very “nuanced,” don’t they?
According to Joe’s own party, people living in Direct Provision are crammed into small areas, unable to social distance, and are being exposed to Covid-19.
“We're being asked to social distance & self-isolate, but many Direct Provision centres have hundreds of residents – several to a room, with shared facilities. The risks for those people remain significant," says our Justice Spokesperson @rodericogorman. https://t.co/Vm2cYXprnN
— Green Party Ireland (@greenparty_ie) March 24, 2020
They’ve described the system as “unfair,” “unacceptable,” and “denying children a normal life.”
"Direct Provision is denying children the chance at a normal life, current system is unacceptable" @rodericogorman https://t.co/FPS5vgwBGe pic.twitter.com/wTGOFZcmyz
— Green Party Ireland (@greenparty_ie) July 19, 2017
They’ve said that in years to come, Irish people will look back on Direct Provision “in horror.”
The Green Party is working for a compassionate, caring Ireland, says @cathmartingreen. But we have a long way to go. We'll look back in horror at Direct Provision, at our homelessness crisis, and the ways our health service is failing people.
Watch more: https://t.co/Zzmk4VsJLW pic.twitter.com/yztoryhDfy
— Green Party Ireland (@greenparty_ie) July 13, 2019
And yet, despite supposedly believing this, Joe is unwilling to establish social housing that could be given to such people, because it might impinge on some sport pitches near his house? Really?
Apparently, when politicians say “Everyone has to play their part,” that “everyone” does not include themselves, or their own neighbourhoods. Everyone else has to make sacrifices for their moral hobby horses, but never me.
Sure, they’ll grandstand, and posture, and kick up a big moral fuss about “human rights” – right up until the moment it affects them negatively in their own life. And then suddenly things are a bit more complicated.
Aren’t we lucky to have such noble statesmen running our country?