Affordable Housing

It shouldn’t be as hard as it is now to afford a home of your own.

The Social Democrats have a plan to bring homeownership back within reach.

By working on a not-for-profit basis, significantly increasing public funding for affordable housing, and building on state-owned land, local authorities and Approved Housing Bodies (AHBs) can deliver high quality homes across Ireland at genuinely affordable prices.

In Government the Social Democrats will deliver 50,000 affordable purchase homes and 25,000 cost rental homes over five years. This will be in addition to private sector housing delivery and a ramping up of social housing construction.

The current Government claims to be delivering affordable housing, but the reality is seen in developments like Oscar Traynor Woods in Coolock, where first-time buyers will be paying up to €475,000 for a three-bedroom home.

Who thinks nearly half a million euros represents an “affordable home”?

In previous generations, when we had far fewer resources, the Irish State was able to build tens of thousands of homes in communities that are still thriving today. There is no good reason we cannot do the same now.

Ireland has the land and the money to achieve this; what we need is a government that is willing and able to get the job done.

Key Points on our Affordable Housing Plan

• In Government the Social Democrats will deliver 50,000 affordable purchase homes and 25,000 cost rental homes over five years.
• We will build and sell affordable purchase homes for under €300,000 in Dublin and €260,000 elsewhere.
• Buyers will own 100% of their home.
• Affordability will be maintained in perpetuity through the introduction of an affordable housing zoning.
• We will provide Cost Rental Housing below €1,200 per month in Dublin, and below €1,000 per month in the rest of the country.

Find Out More

You can read more about our plans in our Affordable Housing policy document, linked below.