Sinn Féin spokesperson on Finance Pearse Doherty TD has slammed as ‘the height of irresponsibility’ a reported plan by Fianna Fáil to allow house buyers to draw down private pensions early to purchase homes.

Teachta Doherty said:

“The proposal put forward by Fianna Fáil is laughable and is the height of irresponsibility.

“For a start, 60% of workers in the private sector have no private pension provision and this proposal would automatically exclude these workers, whilst pushing prices up for everyone else.

“The way to deal with overpriced housing and a lack of supply is to build affordable homes, and Sinn Féin have repeatedly shown how this can be done.

“The solution to this will not be found in allowing developers to pick the pockets of people’s futures.

“The core issue at the heart of the housing crisis is a lack of supply and unaffordability. This proposal would address neither, and will actually do the opposite by pushing house prices upwards.

“Instead of making housing affordable, Fianna Fáil will always put developers first. 

“Perhaps we shouldn’t expect anything different – this is just another example of how Fianna Fáil cannot be trusted.

“Combined with an increased age at which workers can draw down a Stare pension, this is a proposal that will make the future very bleak for the workers of today.”