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'This is all spin' - Ó Broin criticises 'so-called' housing progress report

New figures show building started on over 30,000 homes in 2021
Jack Quann
Jack Quann

20.19 26 Jan 2022


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'This is all spin' - Ó Broin c...

'This is all spin' - Ó Broin criticises 'so-called' housing progress report

Jack Quann
Jack Quann

20.19 26 Jan 2022


Share this article


Sinn Féin's housing spokesperson has branded a progress report on the Housing for All plan "all spin".

Eoin Ó Broin was speaking as new figures show building started on over 30,000 homes in 2021.

The statistics, released as part of an update on the Government's housing plan, show commencements are now at the highest level since 2008.

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But this is still below the its target of 33,000 per year, as it aims to tackle spiraling house prices.

It is expected the State will spend €4bn in housing every year to 2026, while €10bn of development will come from private companies.

Deputy Ó Broin told The Hard Shoulder there are very few specifics in the report.

"What the Government have done today is they have launched a 98 page so-called progress report on their housing plan.

"There is no new information, or nothing new of substance, in this plan.

"It's simply a repeat of a lot of what was in the plan when they launched it last year, and a little bit of data that was released at the end of last year."

He says he cannot see how the Government will meet its 2022 targets.

"Crucially, they still can't tell us how many social homes they delivered last year - so I don't know how they can say they're going to deliver on their commitments this year.

"They fail to mention that in fact of the 440 affordable cost-rental units the were meant to deliver last year, they only delivered 65 - that's 14% of the target.

"How in God's name are they going to reach the targets this year?

"And they also forget to mention that they didn't deliver a single affordable purchase home last year.

"The real question for affordable purchase this year, for Micheál Martin, is are they serious about a target of only 440 - cause that's what seems to be in this plan.

"This is all spin, this is not a substantive progress report."

And Deputy Ó Broin also criticised Housing Minister Darragh O'Brien.

"In stark contrast to Eoghan Murphy: at least when he was minister he presented his progress reports to the Oireachtas Housing Committee, and subjected himself to detailed scrutiny from the opposition.

"Something Darragh O'Brien is very keen to avoid these days.

"This doesn't give me any confidence - but more importantly for people struggling with rising house prices, rising rent, rising homelessness, I don't think there's much comfort in this for them either".

Additional reporting: Paul O'Donoghue 

Main image: Eoin Ó Broin (right) speaks to the media as on the plinth at Leinster House in November 2020. Picture by: PA Images/Alamy Stock Photo/Niall Carson

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