A Home. For Everyone
Ireland’s housing crisis is a social and economic emergency.
The inability to find somewhere to call home results in delayed family formation, limits social mobility, and depresses economic growth.
Ireland needs to build 35,000 homes per annum to meet demand.
20,433 home completions were recorded in 2021.
10,492 people were homeless in June 2022 – 7,421 adults & 3,071 children.
What We Will Do
Recognise that the scale of the crisis requires the state to take a more direct role in delivering social & affordable housing.
Reform Ireland’s planning system to reduce delays in reaching planning decisions.
Identify “shovel-ready” sites for development and, if necessary, use Compulsory Purchase Orders (CPOs) to purchase those sites for social and affordable housing.
Eliminate loopholes in Vacant Site Levy legislation.
Require Local Authorities to sell, for a nominal amount, social houses that are vacant for at least 6 months to applicants who agree to renovate the home and live in it as their primary residence for a minimum of 7 years.
Implement income tax and regulatory reforms to encourage greater private investment in Ireland’s housing market.
Abolish rent controls – a failed policy that has helped only to accelerate the reduction in the supply of rental homes.
Protect the integrity of social housing provision by tackling rent arrears through the imposition of garnishments on salary or social welfare payments where appropriate.
Prioritise those with local connections on social housing waiting lists.