West Dublin TDs sound off on housing

West Dublin TDs have raised concerns about the housing crisis.

A motion, put forward by Social Democrats TD and housing spokesperson Rory Hearne, said that the housing crisis is now a “catastrophe and an emergency.”

In recent weeks, former Minister for Housing Darragh O’Brien has come under fire for delivering 30,330 homes in 2024, well off the 40,000 he claimed the government was on track to deliver when asked.

To make up the gap, Taoiseach Micheál Martin has called for more tax breaks to be given to property developers, a suggestion that was rebuked by Minster for Finance Paschal Donohoe this week.

Donohoe said that the Section 23 tax breaks were a major contributing factor to the 2008 economic crash, and he had no intention of bringing them back, saying they were “very, very costly.”

In addition, the abolition of rent pressure zones has been floated by the government.

Hearne said that renters are facing “huge anxiety” at the prospect of rent pressure zones being lifted at the end of 2025 and has called on the government to provide clarity to renters.

He remarked the government’s policy is “let them eat cake” stuff,” and in this case, the government is saying “let them live in sheds”. 

“The government has spent the past ten years incentivising the private market and investor funds through tax breaks, developer levy waivers and help-to-buy schemes, but they are not working. We need a new direction.”

The Dublin North-West TD said that the government should use a good chunk of its €9 billion surplus to deliver housing and empower local authorities to build.

Hearne’s fellow Northside TD, Gary Gannon, said “every single day, the government proves why we were right to walk away.”

“A government that claps itself on the back for record housing supply is still failing to meet demand,” he said.

“The government tells people they should be grateful for small improvements as if stabilising a crisis of catastrophic levels is something to celebrate.”

Sinn Féin’s housing spokesperson Eoin Ó’Broin said he and his party were happy to back the Social Democrats’ motion, admitting there are some differences of opinion on the nitty gritty of the issue, but broadly supported the motion as it was calling out what he perceives as the government’s failure on housing.

Ó’Broin expressed frustration that neither Minister O’Brien or the new Minister for Housing James Browne were present for the Soc Dems’ motion on housing, with Minister of State Robert Troy being sent out to defend the government’s record on the issue.

“The Minister of State present is not even a Minister of State in housing. I cannot think of a time since I was elected to the Oireachtas that neither the Minister or a Minister of State from the Department was present to deal with a debate on housing,” he said.

Troy said, “let me be clear; protecting renters and attracting finance for home delivery are not mutually exclusive.”

“The Department of Finance estimates that large landlords delivered some 17,000 apartments in Ireland between 2017 and 2023, accounting for 46% of the 37,500 apartments built during that period. The importance of this type of investment underscores the importance of policy certainty for investment in this sector going forward. In doing so, we are acting to benefit both today’s renters and those wishing to avail of accommodation in future.”

“One thing is certain – increased supply benefits all renters and that is why it is our key ambition,” echoing comments from Taoiseach Micheál Martin that the free market is to be an anchor of the government’s housing policy over the next Dáil term.

Ó’Broin’s colleague in Dublin West, Paul Donnelly discussed the issue in his constituency.

Donnelly painted a vivid picture of what the crisis looks like in the constituency, which spreads from Tyrrelstown in the West, Clonslla in the South and Ashtown in the East.

“What does a housing crisis look like? Take my clinic this week alone. On Monday morning, I had a single man who is working. He is living with his family and has nowhere to live. A family which is 12 years on the list has received a notice to quit and will be homeless in months. A family which is five years on the list and has absolutely no chance of getting social housing has received a notice to quit and will be homeless by the summer. A family which is 11 years on the list has received a notice to quit. This is what it looks like. That is what a housing crisis looks like. That is just my office.”

Donnelly said “I guarantee that right across every single constituency, probably even including the Minister of State’s, people are coming asking for help and asking what we can do. When will the government ever accept that its housing strategy has failed? Until it accepts it, this is what will happen every day.

Solidarity TD Ruth Coppinger said, “young people in my constituency told me when we were out canvassing that we would not see anyone over 23 in the area and that young Blanchardstown is in Australia.”

Coppinger said, “we have a major land bank in Dublin West where the council has told us it could build 7,000 homes with schools, facilities and parks; it is sitting idle.”

“What is this government going to do about other local authorities with similar land banks included in their long-term strategy?

A 2022-23 feasibility study by Fingal County Council found that the Dunsink site has the potential to deliver as many as 7,000 housing units and now the council is actively looking to pursue the project.

Speaking last October, Coppinger said “to hear the figure of a potential 7,000 would wipe out the waiting list here in Dublin 15. We could eradicate the housing crisis in this area if it was developed. I think the feeling of all the councillors is that we have to do everything to can to move this from long-term to shorter-term.”