Sinn Féin spokesperson on housing Eoin Ó Broin TD has called on the Minister for Housing Darragh O’Brien to scrap co-living – something the minister himself previously described as a ‘bonkers policy’.

Speaking during questions to the minister in the Dáil, Teachta Ó Broin said: “When in opposition, Darragh O’Brien opposed to co-living.

“He described the idea as ‘a bonkers policy’. He said Fine Gael was ‘out of touch’ trying to pursue it.  

“Speaking to the media last July, he said the government should scrap co-living and said that ‘if Leo Varadkar and Eoghan Murphy want this bonkers policy so much, they should live together’.

“A year on and the Minister has changed his tune. Rather than scrap the ‘bonkers policy’, he has simply initiated a review.

“Contrary to his claim in the Dáil today, he is not duty bound to conduct a review. He has mandatory ministerial guideline powers, which mean he can simply walk into the Customs House and abolish this scheme right now.

“All a review will do is incentivise developers to rush through applications, which will just jack up the price of land.

“A review of this ‘bonkers policy’ is itself bonkers. The Minister should act now and scrap co-living.”