Sinn Féin spokesperson on Housing, Eoin Ó Broin TD, has said that the Minister for Housing Darragh O’Brien is simply not able to meet any of his affordable or social housing targets.

The Dublin Mid West TD’s comments were made as the Department of Housing published their affordable and social housing progress reports for the first half of 2023.

Teachta Ó Broin said:

“After much delay, the Department of Housing quietly put their Quarter 1 and Quarter 2 affordable and social housing progress reports up on their website.

“The figures are absolutely shocking.

“In the first half of this year, the government has delivered just 101 affordable purchase homes through the Local Authorities.

“During the same period, just 22 affordable cost-rental homes were delivered by Approved Housing Bodies.

“According to the Department’s report, not a single affordable home was delivered by the LDA by the end of June this year.

“The Government is committed to delivering 5500 affordable homes this year. Up to 2000 of these are through the controversial shared equity loan scheme which is not affordable housing.

“On the basis of delivery by the midpoint of this year, it is hard to see how the Government will come anywhere close to meeting their targets for affordable purchase or affordable cost-rental homes this year.

“The Department’s progress report also shows that just 1,401 of the promised 9,100 new-build social homes were delivered in the first half of this year.

“That is just 15% of this year’s target. On the basis of this rate of delivery, it is hard to see this year’s social housing being met.

“It appears that the Minister for Housing Darragh O’Brien is incapable of meeting his own affordable and social housing targets.

“The consequence of his failure is an ever deepening affordable housing crisis. This is why so many young people are being forced to live at home late into their 20s and 30s. This is why an ever increasing number of young people are being forced to emigrate. This is why so many people, of all ages, are trapped in an overpriced and insecure private rental sector.

“It is clear that the longer Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael are in Government, the worse the housing crisis will get. The housing crisis will only be addressed by a change of Government, change of Minister and change of housing plan.”