Sinn Féin spokesperson on Housing Eoin Ó Broin TD has expressed extreme concern that only 9% of the new build social housing delivery target for 2020 has been reached halfway through the year.

Teachta Ó Broin was commenting on the publication of the Social Housing Construction Status Report for Q1 and Q2 of 2020.

He said:

“The figures in the Social Housing Construction Status Report for the first half of 2020 are deeply disturbing and much worse than any of us expected.

“Just 725 of the new build social housing delivery target of 7,736 has been reached – only 9%.

“355 of the social housing acquisition target of 800 homes has been reached – just 44%.

“Overall, only 12% of the government’s social housing new build and acquisition targets has been reached in the first half of 2020.

“The government is also substantially behind on its leasing targets, with only 387 of the 2,631 long-term leasing targets hit so far – just 35%.

“The only part of the plan which is on target are short-term leases in the private rented sector with numbers for HAP and RAS at 8,198 (50% of the 2020 targets).

“These figures are far worse that anyone could have anticipated.

“It is completely unacceptable that the Minister for Housing didn’t provide these figures to the Oireachtas Housing Committee yesterday or during question time in the Dáil yesterday evening.

“In spite of being asked about the output figures he chose not to share the information.

“The Minister for Housing is not responsible for the poor delivery of social homes in the first half of this year; however he is responsible for the policy response to it.

“I have written to the Minister seeking an urgent meeting of the Housing Committee to discuss the impact of the low delivery of social homes.

“The dramatic fall in output will see a serious increase in demand and could potentially lead to an increase in homelessness.

“We need to hear now how delivery will be ramped up for the second half of 2020.”