‘Not realistic for this year', Housing Minister says as Government unlikely to meet target of 41,000 new homes
THE target of building 41,000 new homes this year is 'not realistic', Housing Minister James Browne has admitted.
He conceded meeting the aim would be 'extremely challenging' — with around
2
James Browne stated it is unlikely'the target for new builds this year will be met
But Minister Browne insisted he was committed to enacting a 'step change' in the Housing Department and will clear 'the dead wood out of the way so that homes can get delivered'.
Quizzed on this year's target, he told Newstalk: 'I think the challenge we have this year is we're coming off a much lower base from last year than was expected.
'We had hoped for much higher figures last year. I think, looking at all of the different predictions, which are fairly consistent, I think 41,000 is not realistic for this year.'
He added: 'My position as Minister is to maximise supply, maximise the delivery of new
READ MORE ON HOUSING CRISIS
'Because we need to get from 30,000 onto 50,000, onto 60,000 houses — 40,000 houses is nowhere near enough.'
The
Meanwhile, total investment of €122billion is needed by 2030 if
This includes €16.4billion this year, rising to €24.1billion by 2030 to hit 60,000 gaffs a year.
Most read in Money
Earlier this week, it emerged that the
Minister Martin Heydon brought forward the first report from the Government's Timber in Construction Steering Group which calls on the State to use wood more when
Sinn Fein leader Mary Lou McDonald slams Government over housing crisis
Forestry Minister Micheal Healy-Rae has worked with the steering group on the report which notes that Ireland has excellent forest resources that are being underused in our construction sector.
The steering group believes that our forests have the capacity to supply the timber needed to build
'INDIGENOUS RESOURCE'
A new 'Wood first' procurement policy will be launched on the back of the report which will see State bodies ensure that timber is the "material of choice" in the construction of public buildings including schools, libraries and housing.
Forestry Minister Micheal Healy-Rae told the Irish Sun: 'If we are trying to build twenty or thirty or sixty thousand houses – every one of those will need a roof and the most environmentally friendly way you can build a roof is not with steel or anything else – it is wood.
'Again with all the partitions in houses you have people who will want to use steel fixing or concrete but at the end of the day I am encouraging people to use wood instead.
'Timber framed houses made in a factory were very big during the Boomy Boom and people will tell you to use others instead like concrete but I think we should be promoting timber.
'We can grow it ourselves. It's our own indigenous resource. It is renewable.
'You plant it and it grows here, you cut it down and use it and you plant it again and it creates work locally.'
2
The new prediction estimates that 32,500 houses will be built by the end of 2025
Credit: � 2025 PA Media, All Rights Reserved
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THE target of building 41,000 new homes this year is 'not realistic', Housing Minister James Browne has admitted. He conceded meeting the aim would be 'extremely challenging' — with around 2 James Browne stated it is unlikely'the target for new builds this year will be met But Minister Browne insisted he was committed to enacting a 'step change' in the Housing Department and will clear 'the dead wood out of the way so that homes can get delivered'. Quizzed on this year's target, he told Newstalk: 'I think the challenge we have this year is we're coming off a much lower base from last year than was expected. 'We had hoped for much higher figures last year. I think, looking at all of the different predictions, which are fairly consistent, I think 41,000 is not realistic for this year.' He added: 'My position as Minister is to maximise supply, maximise the delivery of new READ MORE ON HOUSING CRISIS 'Because we need to get from 30,000 onto 50,000, onto 60,000 houses — 40,000 houses is nowhere near enough.' The Meanwhile, total investment of €122billion is needed by 2030 if This includes €16.4billion this year, rising to €24.1billion by 2030 to hit 60,000 gaffs a year. Most read in Money Earlier this week, it emerged that the Minister Martin Heydon brought forward the first report from the Government's Timber in Construction Steering Group which calls on the State to use wood more when Sinn Fein leader Mary Lou McDonald slams Government over housing crisis Forestry Minister Micheal Healy-Rae has worked with the steering group on the report which notes that Ireland has excellent forest resources that are being underused in our construction sector. The steering group believes that our forests have the capacity to supply the timber needed to build 'INDIGENOUS RESOURCE' A new 'Wood first' procurement policy will be launched on the back of the report which will see State bodies ensure that timber is the "material of choice" in the construction of public buildings including schools, libraries and housing. Forestry Minister Micheal Healy-Rae told the Irish Sun: 'If we are trying to build twenty or thirty or sixty thousand houses – every one of those will need a roof and the most environmentally friendly way you can build a roof is not with steel or anything else – it is wood. 'Again with all the partitions in houses you have people who will want to use steel fixing or concrete but at the end of the day I am encouraging people to use wood instead. 'Timber framed houses made in a factory were very big during the Boomy Boom and people will tell you to use others instead like concrete but I think we should be promoting timber. 'We can grow it ourselves. It's our own indigenous resource. It is renewable. 'You plant it and it grows here, you cut it down and use it and you plant it again and it creates work locally.' 2 The new prediction estimates that 32,500 houses will be built by the end of 2025 Credit: � 2025 PA Media, All Rights Reserved
