Taoiseach admits we’re short 250,000 houses
IRELAND is facing a deficit of 250,000 homes, the Taoiseach has told a private meeting of his party, as the scale of the housing crisis was laid bare last night.
Fine Gael leader Leo Varadkar told TDs and senators that it will take ‘a long time’ to close the gap, as criticism of the housing situation intensified.
However, Mr Varadkar told the private meeting of the Fine Gael parliamentary party last night that ‘the corner can be turned this year’, according to sources who attended. He said there needs to be at least 40,000 homes built every year and that the country was ramping up to that under the Housing for All plan.
Mr Varadkar said that 35,000 homes are currently under various stages of construction. However, the typical build time for a home is around 18 months.
Meanwhile, a Government TD said she was prepared to vote against ending the eviction ban as Sinn Féin pushed for the Dáil to
‘Can’t handle democratic debate’
be allowed to have its say.
Green Party TD Neasa Hourigan said she would not be able to support the Government on a vote to end the moratorium, which will lapse at the end of the month after Coalition leaders opted against an extension.
Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald said her party would be seeking a Dáil vote on the decision at the earliest opportunity.
However, the earliest time this could happen would be March 21 and even then the vote would not be binding.
Speaking on RTÉ’s The Late Debate, Ms Hourigan said that while a ‘meaningful vote’ is unlikely, she would not be in a position to ‘vote for anything that would end the moratorium’.
If a Dáil motion on the issue was lost by the Government, it would have no impact on any legislation or the eviction ban – it would merely be symbolic.
The row over the end of the eviction ban sparked a bitter exchange between Ms McDonald and the Taoiseach during Leaders’ Questions.
Mr Varadkar yesterday raised a point of order to accuse Sinn Féin of being unable to engage in democratic discourse.
‘I really need to put on the record of the Dáil that what we see here is a party that really can’t handle honest, democratic debate,’ he said.
Ms McDonald replied, saying that the Taoiseach had questioned the democratic capacity or ability of her party.
‘I might remind the Taoiseach that on the last occasion that we went to the polls, this party secured more votes than your own,’ she added.
Mr Varadkar replied: ‘The deputy betrayed the truth once again. Her party scored 24.5% of the vote and they think that gives them the right to shout everyone else down. That’s not democratic.’
Ms McDonald responded, saying: ‘That’s a moronic point.’
In the Dáil yesterday, Fianna Fáil TD for Carlow-Kilkenny John McGuinness became the latest Government deputy to criticise the decision not to extend the eviction ban.
‘Certain modifications should be made to it and it should be put back in place,’ he said.