Vote on right to housing ‘is being blocked by Fine Gael’
Opposition criticizes Government for broken referendum promise as top estate agent says she has never seen it so bad
THE Government has been accused of deliberately reneging on its promise to hold a referendum on housing.
In its Programme for Government, the Coalition vowed: ‘We will hold referendums on housing and extending the franchise at presidential elections to Irish citizens living outside the State.’
However, there is still no sign of a date for the promised referendum as the Coalition enters its final year in office.
Doubts over the plebiscite were raised last month after the Government announced referenda to amend the description of marriage and the role of women in the Constitution will take place on March 8.
However, the opposition has accused the Government of deliberately backing away from the popular vote on housing, which is set to dominate the local and general elections. Sources also said the apparent backing away from the referendum has sparked tensions between Fianna Fáil, who had pushed for the wording of the vote to centre around the ‘right’ to housing, and Fine Gael.
Sinn Féin housing spokesman Eoin Ó Broin accused Taoiseach Leo Varadkar and a key group of Fine Gael advisors of blocking the ballot on housing. He told the Irish Mail on Sunday: ‘It is frustrating and disappointing that the [Housing] Minister [Darragh O’Brien] has yet to even bring a memo to Cabinet on the issue.’
‘Since the Minister has had a key report on the issue since August, my hope was that he would bring in a memo before Christmas.’
‘It appears there is a disagreement between Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael, where the Taoiseach and his advisors are blocking this. If true, this is utterly regrettable and Darragh O’Brien needs to progress this issue swiftly. We are running out of time.’
The failure to hold the promised referendum was also criticised by Social Democrats housing spokesman Cian O’Callaghan.
He told the MoS: ‘This was a core pledge in the Programme for Government. The Green Party especially claimed credit for it.
‘However, mystery now surrounds this plan… like so many [of the Minister’s] other initiatives.’
Aontú leader Peadar Tóibín added: ‘The Government constantly states that housing is the key priority for this Government, yet in terms of the Constitution they have prioritised two referendums that don’t add any rights in terms of housing.’
The political war of words over the referendum comes as the Government comes under mounting pressure to significantly increase its housing targets.
Earlier this month the MoS revealed the Coalition will raise its targets by 5,000 this year to just under 40,000 new homes.
However, the Construction Industry Federation and housing experts have said up to 60,000 new units a year are needed to meet demand. It is also expected the Housing Commission – which was tasked to come up with recommendations for the wording of the promised referendum on housing – also wants the Government to increase its targets to at least 50,000 new homes a year.
However, Minister O’Brien is still sitting on the Commission’s report, which was originally due to be published last summer.
A 200-page report was initially written by a special committee in relation to the referendum, but not all of the 12 high-profile members of the Commission agreed with its contents. Two Commission members – property developer Michael O’Flynn and economist Ronan Lyons – have issued a dissenting report.
On November 9, Minister O’Brien confirmed to Eoin Ó Broin that the Housing Commission ‘has submitted its report’.
He said at the time: ‘I am considering the Commission’s comprehensive analysis and report, together with the next steps in the process. I expect the next step will be to bring it to the Government, and I expect to do so shortly.’
However, the Sinn Féin housing spokesman said that, ‘not unlike the referral to our committee of the recommendations of the citizens’ assembly on a directly elected mayor, some of us have a concern that such a procedure is more of a delaying tactic.’
Cian O’Callaghan said his party wants a date for the housing referendum to be set as swiftly as possible, and argued it could be held on the same date as the local and European elections in June.
However, Mr O’Brien has previously said he ‘cannot see it happening on that day, but who knows?’
The Minister’s department was unable to clarify a date for the housing referendum. In response to queries from the MoS, a spokesperson would only say: ‘The Commission submitted its report and recommendations vis-a-vis a referendum in mid-summer. An alternative report and proposals were also submitted by a small number of members in mid-November.
‘The official Commission report and alternative proposals are being examined. They will be brought to Government in due course, together with the proposed next steps in the process.’
‘There is still no sign of a date for the referendum’
‘It is frustrating and disappointing’