Sinn Féin spokesperson on Housing Eoin Ó Broin TD has stated that the delivery of real affordable homes for working people will be the key litmus test of the new government.
Sinn Féin will use the first private members business slot of the new Dáil term to debate a motion on affordable housing.
Teachta Ó Broin said: “Housing was one of the biggest issues of February’s general election and the delivery of affordable housing is something the new housing minister has paid a lot of lip service to.
“The reality is that Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil were in power for four years and failed deliver any affordable homes to rent or to buy through any government scheme.
“Fine Gael did not publish any affordable housing scheme while leading the last government.
“Fianna Fáil has not published any detailed policy on affordable housing.
“The programme for government does not contain any affordable housing definitions, price points or targets. It is a repackaged commitment from the 2016 programme for government.
“Sinn Féin is the only political party to publish a detailed, costed policy on affordable housing.
“Five weeks ago, I published an affordable housing draft circular that would deliver affordable homes to rent and to buy on public land. This motion is based on that circular.
“We also made costed commitments in our Alternative Budgets for 2019 and 2020 and our General Election Manifesto.
“The government must undertake a massive house building programme on public land. That is the only way to deliver the genuinely affordable homes that people need.”
