Sinn Féin spokesperson on Housing Eoin Ó Broin TD has described the government’s housing plan as ‘not fit for purpose’.

The comments were made in a response to a leaked Cabinet memo confirming that for the third year in a row, the government’s social and affordable housing targets will be missed.

Deputy Ó Broin said:

“Today the Irish Independent reveals details of a confidential Cabinet memo stating that the government’s social and affordable housing targets will not be met. The memo also details a number of other crucial parts of the Minister of Housing’s plan that are significantly behind schedule.

“While the information in the memo is not surprising or new, it is significant that it is coming from a government source. 

“Darragh O’Brien has missed his social and affordable housing targets in 2020, 2021 and will miss them again this year.

“While the Minister has been quick to blame Covid-19, the Russian invasion of Ukraine and construction sector inflation for the missed targets, the real reason is that his plan is fundamentally flawed.

“The government’s public housing targets are too low and its delivery mechanisms too bureaucratic. The overall level of investment is significantly less than the €4 billion claimed by the Minister. Their approach, like that of the last government, is too reliant on the private sector to meet social and affordable housing demand. 

“It is no surprise that the plan isn’t working. It never could and never will work.

“Only a radical change of approach can start to undo the decades of bad Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael housing policy. That change requires a change of government. The sooner that happens the better, particularly for those in acute housing need due to the failures of Darragh O’Brien and his government colleagues.”