The overwhelming demand for 30 affordable homes in a south Dublin housing scheme highlights the desperation felt by house-hunters, according to Social Democrats TD Rory Hearne.
Deputy Hearne, who is the party’s housing spokesperson, said:
“The pent-up demand for housing saw 640 applications received for just 30 affordable homes at Woodbrook in Shankill, a scheme of 685 units built on Dún Laoghaire Rathdown County Council-owned land, in conjunction with developer Castlethorn.
“The fact there were 21 applicants for every home on sale under the Affordable Housing Fund – with discounts of up to 40 per cent of market prices on offer – shows the high level of housing need. Naturally, hundreds of people will have been left disappointed after losing out.
“This is the consequence of the government’s disastrous housing policy, which is failing on every level.
“Despite the government attempting to spin misleading affordable and social housing figures for 2024 – just like they did with their false claim that 40,000 homes would be built last year – the reality is that delivery in this area is pathetic and will go no way towards meeting demand.
“I believe that anyone who applies for affordable housing should be added to a national affordable housing waiting list, to prevent them from having to apply every time.
“It’s time to fast-track affordable housing delivery by allocating additional funding to Approved Housing Bodies and local authorities, as well as investing in critical infrastructure such as water supply. Only yesterday, conflicting accounts emerged over whether €1 billion provided to Uisce Éireann amounted to additional funding for the water utility company – something that had been claimed by two senior ministers in the last government.
“In addition, the government must seriously engage with Soc Dem proposals for a Homes for Ireland State savings scheme, which could leverage some of the €160 billion held in savings accounts for investment in affordable homes. This government often accuses the opposition of not providing solutions to the housing crisis, yet here is a practical funding measure that is staring them in the face.”
May 7, 2025