Sinn Féin spokesperson on Housing, Eoin Ó Broin TD, has said that the government’s affordable housing plan is in crisis. 

The comments were made as newly released figures from the Department of Housing show that the government missed its affordable housing targets by almost 60% last year.

Teachta Ó Broin said:

“Last year, Darragh O’Brien promised to deliver 4,000 affordable homes. Today, the Department of Housing released figures to show that just 1757 homes were delivered though the three affordable housing delivery streams.

“This means that the government missed their affordable housing target by a massive 57%. This is a shocking incitement of the failure of this government to ensure working people can access affordable homes to rent.

“In fact, the figures are even worse as included in these figures are 750 purchases of overpriced private homes with the government’s controversial shared equity loan, known as the First Home Scheme. These are not affordable homes by any meaningful standard.

“It is also not clear from the numbers whether these high risk equity loans have been just offered or actually drawn down.

“Just 323 affordable purchase homes were delivered by Local Authorities and just 684 cost rental homes were delivered by Councils, Approved Housing Bodies and the Land Development Agency.

“There is also growing concern that the cost of these homes is not affordable for many people. Rents for cost rental homes are now hitting as much as  €1550, leaving them beyond the reach of many working people.

“The fact that two and a half years into their term of office and government has only delivered 1007 homes that could be described as remotely affordable shows that they are just not serious about tackling the affordable housing crisis.

“Figures released today also confirm that the government missed its new build social housing target by 17% last year. Just 7433 of the 9000 promised new build social homes were delivered last year.

“This is the third year in a row that the government has missed this crucial target which is directly contributing to the rise in homelessness.”