The housing policy plan of Sinn Féin has been deemed “mean to first time buyers” by the Taoiseach, reports RTE.
In its new housing policy plan, which will be unveiled today, Sinn Féin has promised to invest up to €39 billion in housing over a five-year period.
‘A Home Of Your Own’ is a manifesto that aims to build 300,000 homes over five years starting in 2025.
Speaking at Farmleigh House, the Taoiseach stated that 4,000 families had utilised the First Home Scheme, which Sinn Fein announced it intended to discontinue, and that 50,000 people had profited from the Help to Buy Scheme, reports RTE.
Concerning the party’s proposal to abolish the Land Development Agency, Simon Harris added.
As the government is “ramping” up the LDA, he stated that more funding should be allocated to it. He also added that Sinn Féin’s proposal to form a new body is “not the best use of time.”
According to Mr. Harris, plans pertaining to land ownership but not home ownership present a “hell of a lot more questions” than they do solutions, reports RTE.
“A radical substitute”
The more than 100-page Sinn Fein plan is billed as a dramatic departure from the government’s present approach and a reset of housing policy.
In order to construct 125,000 of these houses over the course of five years, it pledges to invest an average of €7.8 billion annually on social and affordable housing, reports RTE.
A additional 7,500 social and cheap dwellings would be acquired during this time with the help of about €2 billion.
Housing, according to Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald, is the party’s top concern.
Speaking at the launch of the plan, she said: “This plan is the way forward. This has the answers for the rental sector, for public housing and also for the private market. We are putting our money where our mouth is. We are making a very, very big commitment to people that for a Sinn Féin government this is the number one priority. Everywhere we go, everyone we talk to says this is the issue that needs to be solved and the nut that needs to be cracked. This policy, which has taken a huge amount of effort, time and collaboration to produce, has the answer. And we want the opportunity to implement this, so when we go to the people we will ask for that chance,” reports RTE.
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