Housing Minister defends his decision to cut the ribbon on eight new homes
EOGHAN Murphy has rejected suggestions that cutting the ribbon on eight new houses is a sign of desperation given the huge scale of the housing crisis.
The Housing Minister officially opened the second phase of a neighbourhood for older people in Malahide, Co Dublin.
The eight new units mean there are now 45 homes in the scheme spearheaded by the St Vincent de Paul with the help of Government funding.
Mr Murphy defended turning up at the event, insisting: “It’s important to be here to acknowledge the community and the fantastic work that St Vincent de Paul and the local authority have done.”
He said the project is a “large community for the elderly” who are in a development close to services, family and friends.
Mr Murphy also pointed out Fingal County Council will deliver more than 640 social homes this year alone in addition to other housing initiatives.
He said the Government will oversee the provision of around 8,000 new social homes by the end of 2018, which he said is “incredibly significant”. He added that overall there will be around 20,000 new homes of all types built this year and this would be ramped up in 2019 due to increased funding in the Budget. He said the Government’s priority in housing is “finding solutions and help for people”.
The development in Malahide has been awarded for the high standard of the homes. It is among 875 units that have been provided as a result of the St Vincent de Paul initiatives.