Government housing targets are "unrealistic, unachievable and completely disingenuous.”

Independent Ireland to table motion next week for urgent reforms to unblock housing supply

Independent Ireland leader Michael Collins TD has said the Housing Minister’s admission that the Government’s new homes target is “not realistic” is a belated but welcome acknowledgement of reality – one which vindicates what Independent Ireland has consistently said since before the general election.

“Now that the election is over, it’s funny how the truth suddenly emerges,” said Deputy Collins. “These figures – 41,000 homes this year, 300,000 homes by 2030 – were nothing more than pie-in-the-sky projections put forward by political parties who knew full well they couldn’t deliver them. The Central Bank says 32,500 is likely this year. It's proof that FF and FG election promises were unrealistic, unachievable and to put it simply completely disingenuous.”

Deputy Collins was responding to comments made by Housing Minister James Browne on Newstalk radio this week, where the Minister said a delivery figure of 41,000 new builds this year was “not realistic”, citing missed targets from 2024 and a sluggish start to the current year.

“Thousands of families stuck in limbo, the workers living in box rooms or long commutes, the older people with no chance of downsizing. And now, after spinning these figures to the public for months, the Government casually shrugs and says it was never achievable,” Deputy Collins said.

In response, Independent Ireland will next week table a motion in the Dáil spearheaded by Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice calling for a series of rapid, implementable changes to current housing policy to cut through red tape, clear planning backlogs, and fast-track delivery of both public and private housing.

“Our motion will focus on common-sense measures – clearing the logjams in planning, speeding up service connections, unlocking State land for modular and rapid-build homes, and putting accountability mechanisms in place to measure progress, not spin it,” Deputy Fitzmaurice said. 

"We have engaged with key stakeholders, the people who are on the ground trying to build houses, to get a full understanding of what the issues are and how we can make a real impact on housing delivery.  This motion isn't about proving anyone wrong, it's about getting cross party consensus and providing solutions that make sense for the people of Ireland and we are hopeful that the motion will be supported, and more importantly implemented by the Government"

“It’s time to stop pretending and start building. Independent Ireland is ready to lead that change – and we challenge every TD who is serious about solving the housing crisis to back this motion.” Concluded Deputy Collins