Today’s release of affordable housing completions shows that this Government is incapable of meeting its targets – targets that were not nearly ambitious enough in the first place, according to Social Democrats TD Cian O’Callaghan.
Deputy O’Callaghan, who is the party’s housing spokesperson, said:
“Just 166 affordable purchase homes have been delivered in the first half of 2024. This is a fraction of the Government’s unambitious target of 6,400 and a drop in the ocean of what is actually needed.
“These figures provide further evidence that this Government is out of time and out of ideas. As they near the end of their term, homelessness, rents and house prices are all at record levels, while affordable housing delivery trundles along at a glacial pace.
“It does not need to be this way. Earlier this week, the Social Democrats published our fully costed affordable housing plan.
“The policy sets out how, in government, the Social Democrats would deliver 50,000 affordable purchase homes and 25,000 affordable rental homes over five years. This will be in addition to social and private sector delivery.
“In previous generations, when we had far fewer resources, the 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.”
October 18, 2024