Voters being “gaslighted” by government on housing says O’Callaghan

With housing due to be among the hot topics of the upcoming general election, Social Democrats TD Cian O’Callaghan has called the government’s record on the issue into question.

Figures from the ERSI show that the total number of homes being built in Ireland in 2024 is below the same time period in 2023.

The figures of 21,634 homes flies in the face of Housing Minister Darragh O’Brien’s claims to build 40,000 homes in 2024.

O’Brien’s assertions “are at odds with all of the facts and independent analysis,” according to O’Callaghan.

“According to the CSO, housing completions in the first nine months of the year are down on the same period last year; despite this, the Housing Minister continues to insist that 40,000 homes will be delivered this year.”

The Social Democrats’ housing spokesperson said “the Minister has failed to provide any evidence to back up this assertion – preferring to rely instead on his own bullish optimism.”

“After more than four years in office, the Housing Minister’s record is one of median house price increases of €85,000 and the serial failure to meet social and affordable housing targets.”

The homeless figures for September 2024 will be published on Friday afternoon, with the previous set of figures breaking the all-time record for the third month in a row.

“As we now face into an election, the Minister is asking voters to ignore forecasts from the ESRI and the Central Bank, which both say housing delivery will not exceed 33,000 homes, and data from the CSO, which confirms falling housing output,” O’Callaghan said.

“Voters deserve more than gaslighting and spin from the Housing Minister. Instead of facing up to falling completion numbers, and outlining what the government proposes to do to turn around this disaster, the Minister is refusing to accept reality.

“That reality is that this government has no hope of delivering 40,000 homes by the end of the year and their housing plan is a failure.”