Spend on Social Housing Leasing increases by over 100% in 3 years.

On foot of a PQ response from the Minister for Housing, Aontú Leader and Meath West TD Peadar Tóibín has highlighted the hundreds of millions poured into social housing leasing from private developers, which could have funded the construction or acquisition of social housing.

An Teachta Tóibín: “My research has revealed that over €305 million in taxpayer monies has been spent to lease social housing from private companies. In 2021, over €108 million was spent on social housing leasing by the government. This means since 2018, our spend on social housing leasing has doubled. Since 2020, our spend has increased 38% alone.

On top of the 70,000 HAP and RAS tenancies, this is a huge amount of taxpayer money the government is putting in the hands of developers and landlords whilst diverting resources away from the sustainable supply of social and affordable housing. Social housing leasing is seen as a lucrative contract for many developers and landlords, which figures released to Aontú only confirms. Social housing leasing is a tool that deflects away from the construction or acquisition of social housing.”

“This also comes on the heels of a Minister who has missed his social housing targets his first two years in office, and 22 significant “Housing for All” deadlines in four months. In 2020, 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. After all the talk and all the glossy plan launches the government is simply not providing a fraction of the homes needed.

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.