Latest news with #DepartmentofHousing
Irish Times
a day ago
- Business
- Irish Times
Planners needed to speed up housing delivery not hired
Just 15 per cent of the new planners sought by city and county managers two years ago to speed up the delivery of new housing have been recruited, latest figures show. While delays in the planning process are cited by developers, builders and utilities as a big reason for the undersupply of housing, the planning departments of local authorities remain understaffed by hundreds of posts, with only slow progress in filling the vacancies. In 2023, during debates on revised planning legislation, the body that represents city and county managers said that local authorities countrywide needed 541 more planners to keep up with existing demand – and would need more to fulfil an expanded role under the new Planning and Development Act. [ Has Fingal County Council found a solution to our housing crisis? Opens in new window ] In 2023, the Department of Housing sanctioned 101, of which 86 have been recruited to date. A further 112 were sanctioned by the department in January of this year, but none have yet been appointed. READ MORE It means that of the 541 new posts sought by local authority managers two years ago to meet existing demand, just 15 per cent – or less than one in six – have been filled. Government efforts are under way to train more planners and to attract qualified planners from abroad, though progress has been slow 'Lack of staffing is the single biggest reason why planning decisions are taking so long,' said Sinn Féin housing spokesman Eoin Ó Broin , who submitted a parliamentary question on the issue. Committees of the Oireachtas are back, but why can't Irish politicians ask a good question? Listen | 40:01 'The failure of Government to put in place an adequate multiannual workforce plan for council planning sections and the Bord [Pleanála] is resulting in lengthy delays to housing projects as well as critical infrastructure and renewable energy projects. 'The Government desperately tried to blame everyone else for delays in the planning system, but the simple reality is that without adequate staffing, councils and the board simply cannot cope with the volume of work they have. And this is before any of the new functions in the controversial Planning and Development Act have been enacted.' [ Top finance official raises risks to public finances from surge in housing body deals Opens in new window ] He said that Sinn Féin's housing plan had made provision for an additional 450 planning staff for local authorities on top of the Government's additional sanction, as well as an extra 50 staff for An Bord Pleanála and three more High Court judges. In his reply to the parliamentary question, Minister for Housing James Browne said that his department 'is currently working on a number of measures to increase staffing levels in the local government planning sector ... These supports include the provision of staffing resources and expertise to enable planning authorities to perform their functions efficiently and effectively.' The news comes in advance of a meeting of the Cabinet committee on housing this week, where several controversial issues are expected to be discussed by the Taoiseach, Tánaiste and key Ministers. It is expected that they will agree to expand the role of the Land Development Agency (LDA) to include facilitating private sector development on lands it controls, plans to strengthen the LDA's power to take land owned by State agencies and also to expand its remit beyond cities to towns where housing developments on State lands could be located. The committee is also expected to push ahead with a process to recruit someone to head the Housing Activation Office – the so-called housing tsar – with potential candidates understood to have been identified.
Irish Daily Mirror
3 days ago
- Politics
- Irish Daily Mirror
Minister goes 'f**king mental' at summit over lack of planning since Storm Eowyn
'Fiery' talks with communications stakeholders ended abruptly after Media Minister Patrick O'Donovan walked out over a lack of planning since Storm Eowyn. Sources at the summit, co-chaired by Mr O'Donovan and Social Protection Minister Dara Calleary, said he left the building after giving the groups a dressing down. Storm Eowyn hit on January 24 and 768,000 houses, farms and businesses were cut off from the power supply, while 200,000 had no water. Telecommunications were also impacted, with 281,100 fixed service users (10%) and 1.8 million mobile service users (30%) affected at its peak. On May 21, a meeting was held at the Department of Environment, Climate and Communications headquarters on Haddington Road in Dublin. It was attended by Mr O'Donovan, Mr Calleary, and Department of Housing officials. Several groups, including the Commission for Communications Regulation (ComReg), the Telecommunications Industry Ireland of Ibec, and ESB Networks, presented. According to the agenda seen by the Irish Mirror, each had 10 minutes to present on resilience, preparedness and emergency planning. Sources said following their talks that Mr O'Donovan was angry as he felt what they had presented 'wasn't good enough' and 'nothing had happened' since Storm Eowyn. An insider said: 'He told them it was unacceptable. It isn't the Himalayas, it's west Cork. 'He told them they hadn't seemed to have learned anything and if this had happened in Dublin, it would have been a very different response.' Several sources described Mr Calleary as attempting to be 'diplomatic', with some saying he also expressed frustration with the groups. One source said the 'fiery meeting' was 'adjourned abruptly'. It added: 'It was very testy because the ministers wanted to know what had been done since the storm and there wasn't really much by way of an update. Both ministers were fairly annoyed and weren't taking any prisoners.' Another source added: 'It has been 16 weeks. He went f**king mental.'
RTÉ News
4 days ago
- Business
- RTÉ News
Over 230 new social houses opened in Meath developments
Over 230 new social houses have been officially opened across three residential developments in Co Meath. The developments, which cost a total of around €81.3 million to build, are located in Farganstown outside Navan, Aylesbury in Clonee and Millrace in Ashbourne. The development at Farganstown outside Navan, which cost over €25.8 million, consists of 84 new homes on a 1.7 hectare site. The Aylesbury development in Clonee cost over €28 million and consists of 73 new apartments in two apartment blocks close to the village. Meanwhile, at a cost of around €27.5 million, the development in Millrace in Ashbourne is made up of 74 new homes on a 2.8 hectare site. Minister for Housing James Browne visited each of the three developments today to mark the official opening of the houses. Speaking afterwards, Minister Browne commended Meath County Council for exceeding their five-year social housing delivery target and for their "forward-thinking approach" in acquiring land for future social housing projects. The minister said: "Beyond the numbers and delivery figures, it's crucial to remember the real impact: a family or individual whose life will be greatly enhanced by having a long-term, secure and affordable home in a thriving community. These 231 new homes aren't just roofs over heads, they offer peace of mind and long-term security. Meanwhile, the Cathaoirleach of Meath County Council, Councillor Sharon Tolan said: "Late last year, when we launched Meath County Council's Corporate Plan, I emphasised the council's unwavering commitment to excellence in every priority, strategy and vision we set out. Providing high-quality homes to people was a key priority in that plan. "I am thrilled to welcome the completion of 231 beautiful new homes in three rapidly growing areas within our county, especially considering the current national housing challenges." Chief Executive of Meath County Council Kieran Kehoe said he was proud that the local authority continued to exceed its delivery targets despite being in the middle of a national housing crisis. "These developments are yet another example of Meath County Council and our partners in the Department of Housing recognising our communities' diverse needs and delivering high-quality housing solutions to meet them. "At Meath County Council, we remain as focused as ever in making major strides to address the housing challenges for the people of Meath," Mr Kehoe added. It comes as the latest homelessness figures, which were published today, show that 15,580 people were accessing emergency accommodation in April, an increase of 162 compared to the previous month.
Irish Daily Mirror
5 days ago
- Politics
- Irish Daily Mirror
April homelessness figures break another record as child homelessness increases
The monthly homelessness record has been broken once again, with over 15,500 people homeless in Ireland in April. The figures, published by the Department of Housing on Friday, confirmed that 15,580 individuals were accessing emergency accommodation in April. Of these, 4,775 homeless people were children. This is an additional 162 people in the space of a month, 100 of whom were children. The March homelessness report stated there were 15,418 homeless people. This included 4,675 children. The figures do not include people sleeping rough or on the streets, couch-surfing or those in domestic violence refuges. Unaccommodated asylum seekers are also not included in these figures. The April figures show that the majority of people in emergency accommodation (71 per cent) were in Dublin. There were 2,245 homeless families, of which 1,291 were single-parent families. Speaking on Friday morning before the figures were released at 2pm, Housing Minister James Browne said he had not yet seen the April stats. However, he expressed concern at the ongoing rise in numbers. Minister Browne said: 'They have been increasing for some considerable time. That is, I think for some, for myself, it's quite upsetting. 'But not half as upsetting for those people who need that accommodation. It's about delivering supply. [That] is the only way we're going to address homelessness. 'If you look at homelessness in cities right around the world, even really progressive cities that have high homelessness, it's because they have high rents. 'Why do they have high rents? Because of a lack of supply. The only way out of this is supply.' At the same event, Minister Browne once again admitted that the Government's own self-imposed housing target of 41,000 homes in 2025 is going to be 'extremely challenging' to meet. He said that most organisations are suggesting that between 33,000 and 34,000 homes would be completed. Social Democrats housing spokesman Rory Hearne denied Minister Browne's suggestion that supply is the only thing that will solve the homelessness problem. He said: 'The issue with homelessness is not just the supply of housing. It's also about the prevention of homelessness, preventing people from becoming homeless. 'There are currently families in their homes who have been issued notices to quit in the private rental sector. 'Providing new supply doesn't keep those in their homes. Tomorrow, if you actually put in place a ban on evictions, if you give the tenants in-situ schemes and the local authorities the funding they need, then you can prevent those families from becoming homelessness. 'It's not just a question of supply, of supply, it's also what are the preventative measures you're putting in place?' Mr Hearne also argued that there has been a 171 per cent increase in the last three years in the number of children who are spending over 12 months in emergency accommodation. Sinn Féin's housing spokesman Eoin Ó Broin, meanwhile, stated that the figures were a 'stain' on this Government and society. He said: 'It's very clear this Government has thrown in the towel. 'The Government won't meet their housing targets this year. They certainly won't meet their social affordable housing targets. 'House prices, rents and homelessness will continue to rise. That's why we need an emergency response.'
Irish Times
5 days ago
- Business
- Irish Times
Sec Gen rejection of ‘housing tsar' shows Government ‘shambles'
Comments by a top civil servant that a Government-appointed 'housing tsar' was not needed underlines the 'utter shambles' of the response to the housing crisis, Sinn Féin's Eoin Ó Broin has said. Mr Ó Broin, the party's housing spokesman, suggested that in making his comment, secretary general at the Department of Housing, Graham Doyle, was speaking for his equivalents in a number of other departments. Mr Doyle made his comments at the Property Industry Ireland (PII) conference in Dublin on Thursday. [ How housing 'tsar' became a PR problem for Government Opens in new window ] Referring to a poll of attendees on whether a housing tsar was necessary, Mr Doyle said: 'I like that poll; I voted no. READ MORE 'We do not need a housing tsar – can I just clear this one up please, once and for all.' His department subsequently issued a statement saying Mr Doyle was referring to his opposition to the term 'tsar', rather than to the role of the head of the Government's new Housing Activation Office (HAO). Asked on RTÉ's Today with Claire Byrne show if he thought Mr Doyle was only objecting to the word rather than the position Mr Ó Broin said: 'It's much more significant than that. First of all, it shows the utter shambles that the new administration is making of what was already a very, very bad housing crisis. 'When you go back to the first interview the Minister for Housing James Browne did in February he talked – and this was the Minister's language – about wanting a maverick to knock heads and kick down doors. 'If you have not only the secretary general of the Department of Housing – but I suspect Graham [Doyle] is also speaking for the secretary generals of the Departments of Public Expenditure and Reform, and Finance – absolutely and very publicly and deliberately opposing the proposition, it tells me you have got a problem.' He described the HAO as a 'dead duck, before it has even started' and questioned how the Government would deal with 'resistance' from the Civil Service in implementing the body. On the same programme, Minister of State for Public Procurement Emer Higgins addressed the situation saying: 'I think we all agree that there needs to be a strategic housing delivery office, and ultimately, you need somebody to lead that.' She denied that the Government had used the term 'tsar'. It was her 'interpretation', she said, that Mr Doyle was opposed to the use of the term but was 'on board with the strategic Housing Activation Office which obviously needs a leader'. She said there was a 'recognition' in the Department of Housing that the HAO was necessary and said 'we don't need to get bogged down in terminology the Government has never used'.
