Govt must ask if it has confidence in housing minister, says SF
Sinn Féin TD Donna McGettigan has said the Government should ask itself if it still has confidence in Minister for Housing James Browne following how the appointment of a housing czar was handled.
Speaking on RTÉ's The Week in Politics programme, Ms McGettigan said after recent days she wanted to know whether the Government had confidence in Mr Browne to solve the housing crisis.
Ms McGettigan said the mooted €430,000 retained salary for NAMA chief executive Brendan McDonagh, who on Thursday said he no longer wanted to be considered to lead the Housing Activation Office, was the equivalent of 11 gardaí.
On the same programme, when asked what chance he believed the Government has in meeting its housing targets this year, Social Democrats TD Gary Gannon said: "Zip."
Mr Gannon described the controversy around the appointment of a housing czar as being "in omnishambles territory" and said while the independent housing commission recommended a housing executive with legislative footing "what we got was a strong man" suggestion from Government.
Responding to the criticism, Fianna Fáil TD and Minister for Higher and Further Education James Lawless said the "public don't want parlour games" and that he believes it is "crystal clear" a Housing Activation Office is needed.
Asked to respond to the housing czar plan, he said the Government was focused on the Housing Activation Office and that "nobody was talking about [a housing tsar]".
On Friday, Tánaiste and Fine Gael leader Simon Harris said he did not believe a €430,000 salary to lead the Government's new Housing Activation Office would be appropriate, insisting "we have to get this right".
Asked on RTÉ's The Late Late Show whether such a salary is appropriate for a job which is meant to involve overseeing housing reforms to help people who cannot currently afford a home, Mr Harris said, "I don't".
However, he added, "this isn't about any one person", adding "I think what's most important is we get the skillset right".
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