DUBLIN City Council (DCC) considered renting a private cruise ship to house up to 150 homeless people, it has emerged.
The proposal, first mooted two years ago, is not currently being considered but may be an option in the future.
The plans came to light when the Irish Times obtained correspondence between DCC chief executive Owen Keegan and Minister for Housing Eoghan Murphy.
Responding to letters from the minister on how local authorities could tackle homelessness, Mr Keegan said in September that the cruise ship plan could be ‘revisited’.
However Mr Murphy today said the idea was not feasible.
He tweeted: “The cruise ship idea is not suitable for homeless families in need.
The cruise ship idea is not suitable for homeless families in need. Better, more appropriate, solutions are being pursued every day by the Dublin Regional Homeless Executive.
— Eoghan Murphy (@MurphyEoghan) 4 October 2018
“Better, more appropriate, solutions are being pursued every day by the Dublin Regional Homeless Executive.”
Meanwhile a motion to declare the housing and homeless crisis a national emergency passed in the Dáil today.
The motion, tabled by People Before Profit, secured the support of all opposition parties, with 83 votes in favour to 43 against.
The motion also called on the government to increasing capital spending on housing to €2.3billion and pass emergency legislation to make it illegal to evict tenants and homeowners into homelessness.
While not binding, it will increase pressure on the government to tackle the issue amid growing dissent.
On Wednesday, up to 12,000 people marched from the Garden of Remembrance to Leinster House as part of the Raise the Roof campaign to highlight the housing crisis.
