Sinn Fein’s call for affordable housing passed at meeting

SINN Féin Councillor Joanna Byrne had her motion successfully passed calling on the government to introduce affordable housing schemes for local authorities.

In last month’s meeting of the council, Cllr Byrne called for local authorities to recognise that homes to rent and to purchase are becoming increasingly unaffordable, and wanted them to Immediately introduce ambitious affordable rental and purchase housing schemes and where appropriate, Approved Housing Bodies and Housing Co-operatives with clear annual targets for all local authorities; and to design the Home Building Finance Ireland fund to prioritise loan finance to small and medium sized builders participating in Council led affordable housing schemes.

“Under current government proposals, not one affordable home will be delivered in this state this year,” she said.

“The only way to ensure that affordable homes are delivered is to immediately introduce affordable schemes, led by Local Authorities, on public land. The Minister maintains that the private sector will deliver affordable homes via the Local Infrastructure Housing Activation Fund (LIHAF), but we have yet to see this materialise.

Cllr Byrne welcomed having her motion passed unopposed, notification of which will be sent directly to the Minister for Housing,