Sinn Féin spokesperson on Housing, Eoin Ó Broin, has said that ‘only a Sinn Féin government can deliver a radical reset of housing policy’.
The Dublin Mid-West TD was responding to the damning criticism of government housing policy contained in the final report of the Housing Commission, a government-appointed body.
Teachta Ó Broin said:
“This morning, RTÉ released details of the final report from the Housing Commission. The independent panel of housing experts and practitioners were tasked by the government to examine the housing system and make recommendations for reform.
“The sections of the report revealed by RTÉ this morning are a damning indictment of a failing government housing plan.
“The report talks about how ‘systemic failures’, ‘ineffective decision making’, ‘reactive policy making’ and ‘risk’ aversion’ were all impacting supply and ‘undermining affordability.’
“The report accuses the government of a ‘failure to treat housing as a critical social and economic priority’. They also commented that despite having ‘one of the highest levels of public expenditure for housing, yet one of the poorest outcomes.’
“At the centre of the Commission’s report is a concern that the government has ignored what they term the housing deficit. This is the unmet need that has built up over the last decade.
“While the issue of the deficit has been well known for years, the Housing Commission has suggested that it would be as high as 256,000 extra homes above the current government’s targets.
“The Commission has also called for social and affordable housing delivery to increase to 20% of total housing stock. This would require at least half of all new homes to be affordable and social.
“The fact that a government-appointed body of experts have levelled such damning criticism at the government’s housing policy is further evidence that their own housing plan is not working.
“It is also clear that they have no intention of changing course now.
“Only a Sinn Féin-led government, with a housing plan focused on delivering tens of thousands of affordable homes for working people can deliver the radical reset of housing policy that the Housing Commission is calling for.”
