April 29, 2020
Government must deliver robust plan to kick start residential construction post Covid 19 – Eoin Ó Broin TD

Sinn Féin Housing spokesperson Eoin Ó Broin TD has urged the government to put forward credible and robust proposals to kick start residential construction which has stalled due to Covid 19 delays.

His comments follow a report by estate agents Knight Frank which indicates that new housing completions could plummet by as much 40% compared to last year due to Covid 19 delays.

Deputy Ó Broin said:

“The report published by the estate agent Knight Frank is a worrying warning of how the Covid 19 emergency threatens to exacerbate the existing housing crisis.

“The government needs to outline a robust and credible plan to kick start residential construction post Covid 19, while also protecting the health and safety of construction workers.

“I recently outlined a 12-step plan which I believe must be put in place to get residential construction moving again and to deliver the homes our country desperately needs.

“Ireland’s housing crisis has long spiralled under poor management by successive governments. We cannot allow the Covid 19 emergency to entrench this crisis further. We must prioritise the delivery of social and affordable homes.

“A major public housing programme on public land should be initiated which includes the fast-tracking of existing and new large-scale residential developments of mixed-income social, affordable rental and affordable purchase schemes on public land.

“This must also include a review of all recent contracts in which private consortiums are developing mixed-tenure schemes, such as O’Devaney Gardens in Dublin. This must include the acquisition of private sites no longer viable due to Covid 19 economic fallout is key.

“Capital expenditure on housing should not be cut, nor should income or rental supports.

“It is absolutely vital that the rent arrears debt burden is addressed.

“The lending criteria of Home Building Finance Ireland should be amended to provide low-interest loans to developers and contractors subject to genuine affordability in house prices.

“The role of the Land Development Agency must change. It should be spilt into a Land Management Agency (LMA) and a Residential Development Agency (RDA). The LMA compulsory purchase order (CPO) powers, a budget and a mandate to aggressively manage under-utilised public lands.

“Decisive action must be taken to ensure residential construction is kick started and much needed homes are delivered.”

Follow us online

Latest Tweets

📺 Sinn Féin spokesperson on Housing @EOBroin will be live on @RTEUpfront tonight, from 10:35pm.

Watch here: https://www.rte.ie/player/onnow

We must work together to eradicate violence against women and girls.

As First Minister designate, I pledged my support for the White Ribbon campaign today.

I’m committed to working with everyone to tackle the cruel and toxic misogyny that exists in society.

Together we must…

Working together key to tackling homelessness – @ciaraf44.

“We need a new Assembly that is focused on fixing housing and working to ensure that everyone has a secure roof over their head."

Government must immediately ban rent increases to support struggling renters – @EOBroin

“This week, Sinn Féin is calling on the Government to immediately introduce an emergency three-year ban on rent increases for existing and new tenancies.”

https://vote.sinnfein.ie/government-must-immediately-ban-rent-increases-to-support-struggling-renters-eoin-o-broin-td/

Load More