Predictions that house completions for 2024 will be lower than last year prove that the outgoing government’s already unambitious targets were never going to be achieved, according to Social Democrats deputy leader Cian O’Callaghan.
“A forecast by EY-Euroconstruct estimates that just 32,000 new houses will be built this year – almost 700 fewer than in 2023.
“This confirms earlier data from the ESRI, the Central Bank and the CSO, which predicted that house completions for 2024 would not exceed 33,000 homes.
“The drop in housing output for this year makes a nonsense of claims by both the Taoiseach and Minister Darragh O’Brien that they would deliver 40,000 homes by year-end. This figure was either wishful thinking, with no basis in reality, or simply pre-election bluster by Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael.
“It was also deeply cynical for the government to revise upwards its housing targets in the dying days of its term in office, without specifying how many of these homes will be affordable.”
December 9, 2024