Debate contribution: Housing (Amendment) Bill: Second Stage
Debate contribution by Miss Deirdre Hargey on .
- MLA
- Miss Deirdre Hargey
- Party at the time
- Sinn Féin
- Date
- 21 September 2026
- Type
- Debate contribution
- Business
- Private Members' Business
- Heading
- Housing (Amendment) Bill: Second Stage
- Assembly identifier
- Official Report component 5743232
Read the official Assembly record
Text
Housing is a basic human right; for too many people across the North, that right is under enormous pressure. Families face rising rents, insecure tenancies, overcrowding and a constant fear of losing their home. That is compounded by a cost-of-living crisis where profits, concentrated wealth and wars are prioritised over people and our public services. For someone who is already struggling to make ends meet, 28 days can pass incredibly quickly. By the time help becomes available, a family can already be at crisis point. That is why the Housing (Amendment) Bill is so important. The PMB brought forward by my colleague Colm Gildernew would extend the period in which a person is considered to be threatened with homelessness from 28 days to 60. That means giving people more time to access advice, support and practical assistance before they lose their home. We have heard from families directly that 28 days is too short a period. The principle behind it is straightforward. Prevention is better than crisis intervention. We should not wait until a family is standing at the door of a homeless hostel or at the Housing Executive's housing centre on Adelaide Street before the system acts. We should intervene earlier, identify the problem and work with families to prevent homelessness from happening in the first place. That is why the key is prevention, prevention, prevention. This is part of a much wider housing approach — of course it is. We need to increase the supply of social homes and affordable homes. We need to protect tenants who are living in the private rented sector and ensure that people are not being pushed into homelessness because their income simply cannot keep pace with rising housing costs. The Assembly has already recognised the need for action on housing affordability by prioritising social housing delivery and exploring stronger regulation of the private rented sector. Conversations on the Budget with the British Government include necessary work around the revitalisation of the Housing Executive. Legislation only matters if it makes a real difference to people's lives, especially at one of the most vulnerable points of their lives. Extending the homelessness prevention window to 60 days gives families more time, gives support services more opportunities to intervene and gives the Housing Executive a better chance to prevent homelessness, rather than simply responding to it. We have heard that directly from families who have faced the unimaginable situation of being made homeless. Nobody should have to live with the fear of losing their tenancy because losing their tenancy means losing their home. The Bill is about acting earlier, supporting people before they reach that crisis point and building a housing system that is based on security, dignity and fairness. I thank Colm for bringing forward the legislation. We support it and look forward to it progressing to the next stage.
475 words. Text as published by the Northern Ireland Assembly.
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