Today’s release of delivery statistics for social and affordable homes show 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 158 social homes were built in Quarter 1 of this year. This is a drop in the ocean of what is needed and clearly not on track to meet the 2024 target of 9,300 homes.
“The delivery of affordable purchase and cost rental housing is not looking much better. Just 32 affordable purchase homes and 24 cost rental homes were built in Quarter 1 of 2024 – a long way off this year’s target of 6,400 new build affordable homes.
“These figures provide further evidence that this Government, its rotating cast of Taoisigh and its Minister for Housing are incapable of delivering homes at the scale that is needed.
“There are a number of measures the Government could and should be using to speed up delivery. These include using Compulsory Purchase Orders to acquire development land; providing early-stage finance to Approved Housing Bodies to get projects off the ground; and introducing a specific zoning for affordable housing.
“When these solutions are put to the Government, they are dismissed out of hand and voted down.
“The glacial pace of social and affordable housing delivery is locking a generation out of housing.
“A general election, a new Government and a new housing plan is now the only way of turning the tide on this crisis.”
July 16, 2024