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After all the Talk, all the Glossy Launches, Social Housing Targets are Being Missed Again

On foot of Oral Question responses from the Minister for Housing, Aontú Leader & Meath West TD Peadar Tóibín has raised serious concerns over the impact of Covid-19 restrictions upon social housing delivery, as targets are badly missed in 2020 and so far in 2021.

 

An Teachta Tóibín: “The impact of Covid-19 restrictions, that both the government and the Opposition is failing to mention is the impact upon housing output. At the start of 2021, 10,000 homes were not built because of government in lockdown. Throughout the pandemic restrictions and government lockdowns have decimated the supply of housing amidst a housing crunch. Now figures from the Minister show in the first year of the pandemic, our social housing target was missed by a couple of thousand. The Minister’s social housing target was 11,000 but we delivered less than 8,000. Nearly 3,000 of which were through leasing arrangements or acquisition. This means the government built only 5,000 social houses in an entire calendar year.”

 

“The picture for 2021 is even more bleak, with the full extent of the damage yet unknown. As of Q3 of 2021, we were more than 7,600 houses behind our annual target for 2021 of 12,750 – 2,000 of which are from leasing arrangements or acquisition. This all but guarantees that this government will once again miss their social housing targets for only their second year in government. Two years into his tenure as Minister, Darragh O’Brien has missed his social housing targets considerably whilst this government refuses to admit the impact Covid-19 restrictions have had on housing output.”

By Aontú Press | 28 January, 2022



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The Irish political system is radically broken



In Ireland the vast majority of elected representatives put a finger in the air to check which way the political wind is blowing. They have one eye on their leaders – seeking brownie points – and another eye keeping their seat safe. If elected reps shut up and do as they’re told, they are promoted; if they stand up for what they believe in, they are demoted. No wonder we have the political class we have. No wonder one point one billion euro is being buried in a hole under the National Children’s Hospital and that Stormont is in stalemate.



Throughout Ireland, many people are now afraid to say what they feel, many are afraid to respectfully engage on a range of different topics. Many feel there is a new censorship and a new political correctness in Ireland, that opposition to the establishment is being deleted.



Respectful opposition is not the enemy. Respectful opposition is a critical element of a functional democracy. Aontú will have the backbone to stand up, without fear, for you.




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