Sinn Féin spokesperson on Housing, Eoin Ó Broin TD, has said that there was no progress in evidence at today’s Government’s so-called Housing ‘Progress’ Report launch. 

The Dublin Mid-West TD added that holding their press conference at the same time Ryan Tubridy was appearing in front of the Public Accounts Committee was a cynical attempt to bury bad news.

Teachta Ó Broin said:

“Today, the Taoiseach, Tánaiste, Leader of the Green Party and Minister for Housing launched their Q2 Housing ‘Progress’ Report.

“The decision to hold the press conference at the same time as Ryan Tubridy and his agent were appearing before the Public Accounts Committee was a cynical attempt to bury what is pretty bad news.

“At the press conference, there was no information on how many social homes have been delivered to date this year. 

“There was no information on how many affordable homes to rent or buy were delivered to date this year. 

“There was no accurate information on the number of social or cost rental homes actually purchased to date this year.

“There was no information on when the Government expect homelessness, house prices and rents to stop rising. 

“Nor were there any new measures announced to address rising levels of homelessness, rip-off rents and runaway house prices.

“All we heard was a repeat of information already in the public domain and the re-announcement of existing Government schemes.

“We have had 11 years of Fine Gael in Government. Fianna Fáil have been propping them up for seven years. Darragh O’Brien has been Minister for three years. During all of this time, things have gone from bad to worse.

“There was no progress in evidence at today’s Government press conference.

“Indeed, no progress will be made in addressing this crisis until Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil are out of office and a Sinn Féin Government with a Sinn Féin housing plan is in place to undo the damage of decades of bad Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael housing policies.”