Sinn Féin spokesperson on Housing Eoin Ó Broin has called on the Minister for Housing Darragh O’Brien to clarify his position on co-living.  

Comments made by the Minister to the Irish Times and on the Hard Shoulder indicate that he is rowing back on his previous vocal opposition to these developments.

Speaking today, Teachta Ó Broin said: “Minister O’Brien was a vocal opponent to co-living in opposition, labelling it ‘bonkers’.

“Instead of just banning it when he became Minister, he announced a review, which indicated a softening in his approach.

“Yesterday, in media interviews, the Minister further rowed back on his opposition by giving the impression that co-living providers were simply multinational companies providing homes for their employees.

“This is not the case and the Minister knows it.

“Applications for co-living developments exist in Rathmines, Ranelagh and Dublin 8.

“In fact, many co-living planning applications were originally for apartments, the applications for co-living were put in when developers realised they could make more money by squeezing more people paying €1,300 a month into 12-16 sqm than into 45 sqm.

“Co-living is bad for tenants and it is bad for land prices. It inflates the cost of land in local areas as we saw with the planned co-living development in Fumbally, Dublin 8. Co-living prices responsible developers out of the market.

“We need to see an outright ban to these kinds of developments.

“The Minister should engage with self-organised, community architecture groups, who promote genuine shared living with good quality homes.

“He should not support developer-led, expensive co-living where people pay €1,300 for the privilege of living in a shoe box.”