Plan could provide 5,000 houses in the next 5 years

By Maurice Garvey

THE Oireachtas Housing Committee’s recently published recommend-ations, would provide 5,000 social houses in South Dublin County over the next five years, if adopted by government.

The cross-party group of 14 TDs was established in April to tackle the housing crisis, and includes recommendations that home repossessions from banks are immediately halted.

It also calls for the establishment of a housing procurement agency, and for a system of rent certainty to be introduced.

The committee wants 50,000 social housing units delivered nationally within five years, and Sinn Féin TD Eoin Ó Broin, who is on the committee, believes the recommendations will “help alleviate the housing crisis in South County Dublin.”

Deputy Ó Broin said: “South County Dublin has 10 per cent of the total housing need in the country. There are over 9,000 families on the council waiting list and over 200 homeless families.

“If the new Minister for Housing Simon Coveney adopts the Dáil Housing and Homelessness Committee’s report, this would mean 5,000 real social housing units for South County Dublin over the next five years. The current government plan would provide less than 600 council houses.”

He continued: “This figure includes acquisitions, refurbishments and new builds. The recent Housing Agency report showed that there are over 5,000 vacant properties in South County Dublin. The Minister must provide more funding to the council to allow them to increase the use of its CPO powers to acquire these units.”

Ó Broin says tenant rights should also be strengthened, including additional protection to tenants in “repossessed buy-to-lets.”

Along with committee Chairman John Curran TD, he encourages Minister Coveney to be “radical” in his Action Plan for Housing, and to bring forward the recommend-ations to the Dáil before summer recess.