Coveney defends quitting Housing despite big plans

FOREIGN Affairs Minister Simon Coveney has defended quitting the Department of Housing just months into the implementation of his much-vaunted Rebuilding Ireland strategy, saying ‘being in politics means taking on different challenges as you are asked’.

Responding to questions from reporters on the issue last night, he said he never ‘fought’ for the job, but that he did ask for it and added that he plans to remain involved in the implementation of the housing plan, even though new Housing Minister Eoghan Murphy had indicated that he may not stick to the original deadlines.

When he was originally appointed as Housing Minister, Mr Coveney said: ‘I was very privileged to be given a choice – the Taoiseach asked me what I wanted to do. He gave me a choice of a number of portfolios, which I really appreciated, and I actually asked him for the housing brief – it’s one that I effectively chose.’

He said that solving the housing crisis was the ‘Government’s number one priority’.

Last month, Sinn Féin’s Eoin Ó Broin said Mr Coveney’s move to Foreign Affairs was a ‘slap in the face’ for families struggling with housing and homelessness issues.

Speaking at the MacGill Summer School in Glenties, Co. Donegal, Mr Coveney also strongly defended the Government’s firsttime buyers grant, saying that it has led to developers building more homes.

But he would not say whether he believes the scheme should be retained, admitting that all major policies are assessed by the Government.

The Foreign Affairs Minister said introducing a grant of up to €20,000 for first-time buyers was the ‘right thing to do’.