There is no "quick fix" for the housing crisis and it is "disingenuous" to say there is.
That is according to the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media, Catherine Martin, who said that the government is "already starting to make a difference".
This week, the Dáil voted to not declare the crisis an official 'emergency'.
Speaking ahead of the Green Party conference in Athlone this weekend, Minister Martin told The Anton Savage Show that, despite the vote, the government is "in emergency mode" in dealing with the crisis.
"We have to recognise that we are absolute resolute and this is a top priority for government", Minister Martin said.
"There's no quick fix to the housing challenge and I think to say that is disingenuous."
"We're in emergency mode as a government and I think we will see the fruits of what we've implemented."
The plan
The number of people accessing homeless services has passed 11,000 for the first time.
While the increase in homelessness is "a serious concern", Minister Martin said that it is "being actively addressed" by government.
However, the government does not plan to change course in its response to the growing figures.
A record €4.5 billion is set to be invested in housing next year, which she says will "really underpin the ambitious housing for all plan".
So far, the government has taken some measures, such as implementing a temporary eviction ban.
However, Minister Martin believes that an increase in housing supply is the only sustainable solution.
Greens in government
The TD for Rathdown underlined her party's impact since entering into coalition with Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael.
"I believe that the Green Party has made a difference in terms of the housing policy approach in government already", she said.
"Cost rental is something that myself and Minister Eamon Ryan were talking about in the last Dáil term."
"It's a core Green Party policy and that is now a focus of government policy."
Listen back to the full conversation here.
Main image shows Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media, Catherine Martin TD. Picture by: Sam Boal / RollingNews.ie
