Sinn Féin housing spokesperson Eoin Ó Broin TD has called on Government ‘to increase their social housing targets’ as a Housing Agency report shows the number of households on Local Authority social housing waiting lists rose last year for the first time since 2016.

Teachta Ó Broin said:

“This week the Housing Agency published the Summary of Social Housing Assessments report. It showed that in 2023 there were 58,824 households on Local Authority waiting lists for social housing. This is an increase of almost 1000 on 2022 and the first increase since 2016.

“The Housing Agency report does not include all those eligible for social housing. Private rental tenants in receipt of HAP and RAS are excluded from the Council list but are still eligible for social housing.

“Last year the number of households in receipt of these short term private rental subsidies fell by just over a thousand. 

“The net result of both changes means that social housing need has remained virtually static from 2022 to 2023 at almost 134,000 households.

“This is despite the fact that 8,110 new build social homes were delivered last year along with 1,830 social housing acquisitions and 1,999 long term leases.

“What this clearly shows is that the Government’s social housing targets are too low. If we are to see a significant reduction in social housing need and a shortening of the length of time people are waiting for social housing then Government must increase their social housing targets.

“Every day this government remains in office, the worse the housing crisis gets. It’s time for change. Housing would be the number one priority of a Sinn Féin government.”