Government criticised by opposition for missing social and affordable housing targets

Thu, 28 Mar, 2024 - 19:13

By Gráinne Ní Aodha, PA

The Government has been criticised for missing its newbuild social and affordable housing targets last year.

Tánaiste Micheal Martin defended the Government’s progress and said it was “way ahead” compared to the last 10 years.

There were 32,695 new homes built in 2023, exceeding the target of 29,000 set out in the Government’s Housing for All plan.

But the Government has been criticised for missing its targets for building social and affordable homes, with an opposition TD accusing them of “deliberately misrepresenting and massaging” the figures.

Sinn Féin TD Eoin Ó Broin said that the rise in the number of people who are homeless, as shown in new figures published on Thursday, was “a direct consequence of the Government’s failed housing policies”.

Irish homelessness — Sinn Féin’s housing spokesman Eoin Ó Broin, speaks to the media outside Government Buildings in Dublin (PA)

While the party’s housing spokesman was speaking outside Government Buildings, Taoiseach Leo Varadkar walked by.

“Homelessness is rising in part because of the man who just walked past us, which is the outgoing Taoiseach,” he said.

“It’s rising because this Government’s social and affordable housing targets are too low and year upon year, they’re missing those targets.

“And I have to say the way in which the minister for housing released the information was deeply dishonest. He has deliberately misrepresented and massaged the figures.”

Mr Martin said that the figures represented “an incredible turnaround” from where we were three years ago.

“We were nowhere near 11,000 social houses delivered,” Mr Martin said.

National Risk Assessment for Ireland — Tánaiste Micheal Martin (PA)

“And yes, the targets are there, the targets are meant to stretch us, we want to go and achieve them.

“But you know, I will answer that robustly in the sense that we exceeded the overall targets of housebuilding last year when we went close (to) 33,000. 29,000 was the target.

“I think this year, again, I think we’re in a position to exceed targets again this year.

“But I would say this though: that we need to go above again, and we have to get certainly to 40,000-plus within the next two years and maintain that then per annum if not even more.

“I think with measures of construction, greater pipelines coming along, we can do that.

“The key thing for us in housing is to keep the momentum going. Affordable housing as a concept is relatively new in Ireland where essentially it involves the state subsidising a whole range of private housing that is being built, to enable people to be able to afford it.”