It is deeply troubling that the Taoiseach appears to be blissfully unaware of EU funding streams that could be accessed by the State to build affordable homes, according to Social Democrats acting leader Cian O’Callaghan.
“The Government’s latest plan for housing is nothing more than recycled Celtic Tiger-era policy – namely, one that offers tax breaks for developers and sweetheart deals for investment funds.
“We are constantly told there are no alternatives to securing this type of finance. This is not true – there are other funding options available at EU level.
“A report by Housing Europe, commissioned by one of Fianna Fáil’s own MEPs, goes into great detail about the billions of euro available through EU funding streams – such as InvestEU and the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) – which could be used to build affordable housing.
“However, when I made this point during Leaders’ Questions in the Dáil today, the Taoiseach appeared to be completely unaware that these funding options exist.
“Rather than use viable sources of funding, this government seems hell bent on doubling down on failed housing policy – one that prioritises the interests of wealthy investment funds over the needs of people trying to find an affordable home to rent or buy.
“The government parties should have been upfront about their true intentions in the run up to the general election. It is now clear that not only were voters duped over false promises of 40,000 house completions for 2024, but that FF/FG did not tell people the full truth about their future plans.”
February 12, 2025