Move to halt project to build social homes 'a setback', says minister
The Government has been forced to defend the decision to stop a public-private partnership project that would have built thousands of new homes in Dublin city and surrounding counties.
Speaking on RTÉ's The Week in Politics, Minister of State Christopher O'Sullivan said the decision was "a setback in terms of the number of homes that would have been delivered" but the Government also had to be responsible with taxpayers' money.
The delivery of almost 3,000 social homes across the country, 2,000 of which are in Dublin City was delayed after the minister for housing pulled the plug on funding for a number of projects that were about to begin construction because of value for money concerns.
The Construction Industry Federation yesterday said the move could threaten the public private partnership model and have implications for projects such as Metro North.
Three weeks ago the Department of Housing decided not to proceed with almost 500 social homes in Dublin, Wicklow, Kildare and Sligo that were due be delivered by a consortium under the public private partnership model due to value for moony concerns
It's understood the cost of each of the units was more than €1 million and that figure had almost doubled compared to similar units that were delivered in 2020.
"Yes we have an absolute duty of care to the people of Ireland to end homelessness," Mr O'Sullivan said, "but we also have a duty of care to the taxpayers and when we are talking about figures in excess of €1m per unit, there has to be a point where we shout stop and look for that value for money."
Speaking on the same programme, Sinn Féin TD Claire Kerrane said there is a need now to go back to local authorities for housing delivery.
"We need to go back to the local authorities. Obviously we do, when are we going to start doing it? We're 14 or 15 years now in to the housing crisis.
She said housing needs to be declared an emergency.
"It hasn't been declared an emergency so we don't have the emergency powers," she said, adding that builders cannot get credit, and local authorities are not building to the scale they should.
"It is getting worse and what is making it worse again is the Government continuing to say the housing plan working. It isn't working," she added.
On ending public-private partnerships, Social Democrats TD Gary Gannon said there is a duty to the taxpayer, but the taxpayer is paying anyway for emergency accommodation that is affecting children negatively.
"Those children living in in hotel accommodation, they are being paid for by the taxpayer and the impacts that is having on their lives, the lifelong consequences that will also be funded by the taxpayer."
"The state has not declared this an emergency, we need to be zoning land that is affordable, to have the State getting back building in a massive, significant way.
"We also need to understand the impact that these living conditions are having on children."
He said local authorities need to be given emergency funds to get vacant homes up quickly, adding that an emergency response requires an emergency investment.
Mr O'Sullivan agreed the Government is willing to give funds to local authorities to provide homes, and also said there is a need for a standardised design to cut costs in delivering homes to simplify things.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Irish Sun
3 hours ago
- The Irish Sun
Budget blow for thousands of Irish as €1k boost & one-off cash payments CUT in ‘roll back clock' move amid tariff fear
COLLEGE students are set for a €1,000 blow later this year when college fees return to their original level, Higher Education Minister James Lawless has confirmed. As part of a 3 Finance Minister Paschal Donohoe confirmed there will be no cost of living package in the upcoming budget Credit: Getty 3 Higher Education Minister James Lawless confirmed college fees will revert to €3,000 Credit: PA While fees vary from college to However, The Government are planning to Higher Education Minister James Lawless today confirmed that college fees will revert to €3,000 without a cost of living package in the budget. Read more in Money However, the Speaking on 'Things like energy credits were universally applied, 'The indications are – and we haven't entered budget discussions in earnest yet as we're engaged in the national development plan at the moment which obviously will have a significant uplift in MOST READ ON THE IRISH SUN 'So all of us in any walk of life have to play the hands we're dealt. Taoiseach Simon Harris speaks about Budget 2025 cost-of-living measures "If I don't have a cost of living package then I can't do those type of measures that we're talking about from last year.' Asked to clarify, the Minister said: 'The once-off supports – and they were phrased very clearly as once-off supports – are not being provided for as it stands because there is no cost of living package being made available. 'That may change coming into the budget. It's a matter for the Finance Minister more so than myself but that is what's coming. MAJOR SETBACK Senator Harmon said any such move would be a major setback for college affordability and a further burden on students and their families. She said: 'This Government is planning to roll back the clock when it comes to making college affordable. "Reversing the student fee reduction sends a clear signal that access to third-level education is not a priority for this administration. 'At a time when the cost of living remains sky-high and when rents in college areas are completely unaffordable this move would hit families where it hurts. It's completely out of touch. 'Last week, the Minister for Housing added insult to injury by rowing back on protections for student renters. Now, Minister Lawless wants to add financial pressure on top. "It's clear that this Government has no coherent strategy when it comes to supporting students." 'WHERE IS THAT AMBITION?' Labour is now calling for the Minister to urgently reconsider this regressive proposal. Senator Harmon added: "We have to ask – was last year's modest reduction in fees just a cynical vote-buying exercise ahead of the local and European elections? 'And what of the promises from Simon Harris, who made all the right noises about reducing fees to zero? Where is that ambition now? "Instead, students are being told to tighten their belts again while this Government boasts about budget surpluses." She continued: 'We need long-term thinking when it comes to education – not short-term accounting. College should not be a luxury. "If the Government goes ahead with this hike, it will be a deeply unpopular move from an increasingly unpopular Government." 3 As part of a cost of living package in last year's budget, college fees were temporarily cut by €1,000 Credit: Getty - Contributor
RTÉ News
9 hours ago
- RTÉ News
Student fees to revert to previous levels 'as things stand', says Lawless
Minister for Further and Higher Education James Lawless has said that "as things stand" third level students will have to pay €1,000 extra in fees this year compared to last year. Mr Lawless said last year's €1,000 reduction in undergraduate fees was part of a cost of living package which included other supports such as energy. Fees will have to be reset, as will energy, Mr Lawless said, and this means fees will revert to the same level they have been at for the last several years. "All of us in any walk of life have to play the hands were dealt," he said. "If I don't have a cost-of-living package. I can't do those kind of measures that were done last year." "I do intend to wind down the student contribution fee over the lifetime of the Government," he added. He said there are a number of measures that begin this September to help students with grants and an increased threshold for qualification. "We have increased thresholds, and for the first time ever, a household income up to €115,000 would receive at least some form of support," he said. He added: "That's higher than it's ever been, and we also have a number of different ranges of support so you can get." Mr Lawless said he has spoken to Minister for Housing James Browne to see how student specific accommodation can be carved out from newly-implemented Rent Pressure Zone rules. "Although it is fairly straight forward to work out rules for student specific accommodation on campus, it is more difficult to quantify the situation for students living in private accommodation," Mr Lawless said. He said that they will have to work out a formula. "Is it that the accommodation is always only rented to students, and does that mean it matches minimum standards," he said.
Irish Examiner
10 hours ago
- Irish Examiner
'Extraordinary to bear witness': Irish politicians reflect on Budapest Pride
Banning Pride marches in Hungary "badly backfired" on Viktor Orbán, Green Party leader Roderic O'Gorman said, after he joined over 100,000 people for Budapest Pride. A record number of people, from Hungary and across Europe, took to the streets for the country's main Pride march on Saturday despite the threat of legal consequences and fears around counter-protests. The protest passed off without any major incident and there were no reports of assault emerging from the march while small groups of counter-protestors made little impact. Green Party leader Roderic O'Gorman at Budapest Pride on Saturday. He said Hungarian prime minister Viktor Orbán's attempt to ban Pride had backfired badly with attendance at the parade rising from 35,000 last year to 100.000 this year. Picture: Roderic O'Gorman Mr O'Gorman was among the Irish politicians who travelled to Budapest this weekend to show their support for the LGBT+ community in Hungary and to protest against Mr Orbán's sustained attack on their rights. Mr O'Gorman said the overwhelming display of support in Budapest showed that banning Pride badly backfired on Mr Orbán, noting that last year's event had a turnout of approximately 35,000. "It is not just the LGBT+ community marching," Mr O'Gorman said, as footage showed the streets thronged with people of all generations, families, and international supporters. Pride was led by Mayor of Budapest, Gergely Karácsony, who told the crowd: "We don't exactly look as though we were banned." Contrast with Dublin Pride Irish MEP Maria Walsh, who also attended the march, hailed the exceptional bravery of Mr Karácsony and the organisers who have been front and centre, especially in the media, despite the potential consequences from the Government. Ms Walsh said it was "extraordinary to bear witness" to the hundreds of thousands who came together as both members and allies of the LGBT+ community. It was hard not to notice the differences between the march in Budapest and Dublin Pride, which was taking place at the same time, Ms Walsh said. Political parties and organisers in Dublin would not have had to attend a number of security briefings ahead of their participation in the capital's Pride events. Security concerns before and after In the briefings, Ms Walsh said they were warned there could be sound bombs, projectiles thrown at them, and were advised to take off earrings or any other loose items. Drag artists, floats, and even music, were largely lacking at the march in Hungary, she explained, and there was not the same level of Pride flags and bunting in windows around the city as you would see in Dublin throughout Pride month. She said: It was really back to the traditional protests for Pride where people just gathered together and started walking. Ms Walsh said that while the march itself appears to have proceeded without incident, people will be watching what happens over the coming days. The Hungarian government said it would use facial recognition software to identify people attending any banned events, potentially fining them up to €500. "Many of us fly out this evening back to the European Parliament and other member states, and I hope we don't see arrests of the likes of the mayor of Budapest and you don't see arrests of those that organised or were very visible over Pride," Ms Walsh said.
