THERE are more than 16,000 people on Dublin City Council's housing list, new figures reveal.

Councillor Gerry Breen said that only 1,400 were being moved from the list each year.

"This would mean that people will, at current rates, spend 11-plus years on the housing list," he said.

More than 2,500 of the people on the waiting list have been on it for seven or more years, according to the figures.

In 80pc of cases, social welfare is the only income in the family, and 50pc are on rent allowance, he added.

The Fine Gael councillor urged the Government to end the prohibition on employment for people in receipt of rent allowance.

RADICAL

"Rent levels are increasing and rent allowances are not keeping pace with rents and many are being forced to go into the 'homeless' category and being placed in temporary accommodation," he said.

Mr Breen said he believes that it is time for Dublin City Council to make a "radical move" to tackle the issue.

He has proposed the council moves to issue a housing bond of €1bn and uses this fund to get approximately 4,000 housing units either from the National Asset Management Agency, the private sector or directly tendering to building firms.

Meanwhile, a breakdown of the figures revealed that of those on the list, 8,886 are single people and 601 are couples.

hnews@herald.ie