The Government has defended its decision to remove annual housing delivery targets, with the Minister for Housing arguing that such targets “can become a distraction,” reports RTE.
James Browne stated that data on housing completions will continue to be published each year.
Taoiseach Micheál Martin also justified the lack of yearly targets, explaining that it is particularly challenging to set precise figures for private sector output, reports RTE.
He added that setting clear yearly boundaries for housing targets can sometimes give a misleading picture of completion progress.
Speaking on RTÉ’s News at One following the release of a new strategy titled Delivering Homes, Building Communities, Minister Browne said the plan marks a significant shift in how housing will be provided across the country.
The new plan commits to constructing at least 300,000 new homes by 2030, reports RTE.
According to the plan, this figure is not an upper limit but a realistic projection achievable through effective collaboration between public and private sectors.
The long-delayed plan outlines that the State will directly deliver 72,000 social homes.
Mr Browne said €1 billion will be invested into an infrastructure fund to “address the blockages in terms of activating housing on the ground,” reports RTE.
He explained that the Housing Activation Office will visit local authorities to identify obstacles, while the LDA will receive an extra €2.5 billion to build homes at scale nationwide, alongside targeted measures for homelessness.
Mr Browne said the goal is to scale up and restore momentum in housing delivery.
He added that the number of people in emergency accommodation will begin to decline “as soon as we get more supply into the system,” reports RTE.
Opposition parties criticised the launch as a “damp squib,” accusing the Government of recycling old policies that have failed to reduce homelessness.
The plan acknowledges homelessness as the most urgent social issue facing the country.
It pledges €100 million in capital funding to purchase second-hand properties, helping families who have been longest in emergency accommodation to transition into stable homes, reports RTE.
It also proposes a Child and Family Action Plan aimed at creating 2,000 tenancies under the Housing First Programme.
The plan promises more suitable housing options for older people and continued investment in high-quality Traveller-specific accommodation, reports RTE.
A total of 90,000 starter homes are promised under measures designed to boost private sector building by increasing zoned land, cutting red tape, and enhancing investment in public infrastructure.
A new €400 million equity fund will also be created to help smaller builders construct homes, reports RTE.
The plan outlines a total of €28.2 billion in exchequer funding for housing.
Of this, €12.2 billion will go toward water and wastewater services.
It also reaffirms commitments of €3.5 billion for ESB Networks and Eirgrid, reports RTE.
An additional €24.3 billion will be invested in the transport sector.
The new housing strategy includes measures to convert vacant shops and buildings into homes, with grants of up to €140,000 per property and funding for professional advice on conversions, reports RTE.
It also aims to bring 20,000 derelict homes back into use through the Vacant Property Refurbishment Grant.
The plan confirms that a new Derelict Property Tax will be introduced and administered by the Revenue Commissioners, reports RTE.
The refurbishment grant will be expanded to include an “Above the Shop” top-up scheme.
The Living City Initiative will be extended to 2030 and expanded to cover Athlone, Drogheda, Dundalk, Letterkenny, and Sligo, reports RTE.
The plan also commits to increasing the number of one-bedroom and four-bedroom homes.
It notes that the proportion of single people experiencing homelessness continues to rise, reports RTE.
The document also promises a National Planning Statement for housing in An Ghaeltacht to ensure clarity and consistency regarding Irish language protections in planning.
Under the new plan, the First Homes Scheme — which allows the State to take a share in a first-time buyer’s home — will be extended, reports RTE.
The scheme, which currently applies to new builds, will now include derelict or long-term vacant homes that first-time buyers wish to purchase and renovate.
The Help to Buy scheme, which provides up to €30,000 in tax rebates toward a deposit, will be extended until the end of 2030, reports RTE.
A strong focus is placed on reusing vacant and derelict properties.
Taoiseach Micheál Martin said housing remains central to the Government’s priorities.
Speaking at the plan’s launch, he said: “It is the defining issue for our people with profound social and economic impacts,” reports RTE.
Mr Martin noted that large-scale homebuilding will depend on major improvements in water, energy, and transport infrastructure.
He added that these sectors will receive significant investment, reports RTE.
Tánaiste Simon Harris, also speaking at the launch, described housing as a national emergency and the country’s greatest challenge.
He said the issue is not a lack of funding but rather delays in delivery and persistent bottlenecks, reports RTE.
Sinn Féin housing spokesperson Eoin Ó Broin said the housing plan shows that “the emperor has no clothes.”
“This is not a new housing plan,” he said.
“This is a reheated and repackaged version of the failed Darragh O’Brien housing plan,” reports RTE.
He argued that the plan fails to address “the underlying causes of our housing crisis.”
Mr Ó Broin claimed the Government is underestimating housing demand by around 20%, reports RTE.
“They have ignored the Housing Commission’s recommendations around the housing deficit,” he said.
“The idea that 50,000 new homes a year will address our housing crisis simply is not correct,” said Mr Ó Broin.
He added that annual targets allowed the Opposition and the public to measure the Government’s performance or “lack of progress,” reports RTE.
“By scrapping those annual targets, they are essentially saying they know they can’t meet them and want to avoid proper scrutiny from the Opposition,” he said, reports RTE.
Tell us your thoughts in the Facebook post and share this with your friends.
