A Mayo View: New government must tackle ‘an unfinished Republic’ perception
WHEN Dáil Éireann first met in 1919, great emphasis was placed on the fact it was going to be the first duty of the new government "to make provision that no child shall suffer hunger or cold from lack of food, clothing, or shelter..."
Moving the clocks forward to 2025, the reality of Ireland today is sadly different.
There are 230,000 children across the country growing up in poverty in families that cannot afford to heat their homes, pay for social activities or keep food on the table or a roof over their heads.
Over the course of Christmas, an estimated 4,645 children and their families celebrated the festive season, as best they could, in emergency accommodation, not in a home of their own.
Despite the nation's widely reported unprecedented wealth, there are still thousands waiting to access vital assessment and intervention services for their children with additional needs while a generation of Irish young people is locked out of home ownership.
These are the stark challenges - as firmly articulated by Deputy Rory Ahern of the Social Democrats on the first gathering of the new Dáil members on December 18 - facing our incoming government when it is finally formed over the coming weeks.
Record house prices and record rents have resulted in 500,000 adults stuck living in their childhood bedrooms, while others are stuck renting in insecure and unaffordable housing.
Despite the resources and despite the wealth, many of our young people regrettably see no future in this country because they cannot see a way to get a home of their own and start independent adult lives.
Deputy Ahern is right: This housing emergency is the defining issue of our time.
"We need to see an urgent response in scale and effort that will deliver genuinely affordable housing.
"We need to stop treating housing as an investment asset for the vulture funds and corporate landlords. We need to treat housing as a home and as a human right," he argued. Deputy Ahern is also correct is stating the housing disaster can be solved by building social and affordable housing at a major scale.
While there was much talk and some action by the outgoing government in that regard, it has fallen short of needs and hopes.
Both Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael, the two parties set to collectively head the new administration, are well aware of the fact that the challenges ahead are enormous and that the expectations are even greater.
The public expects delivery in every city, town and village across the country in the years ahead with a concentration and focus that has not been witnessed for a long time.
Until that is achieved, Ireland will be seen internationally as a rich country that failed a generation of its best-educated young people.
An unfinished Republic, as the aforementioned TD labelled it.