NAMA Housing Promises Moving At  ‘Snail’s Pace’ – Crowe

Dublin South West representative Seán Crowe TD described as ‘old hat’ the latest promise of NAMA delivering 4,000 social housing units to Local Authorities and said he recalled a similar story two years ago of 2,000 promised units that actually delivered just 400.

Crowe said that the roll out of social housing by NAMA was happening  at a ‘snail’s pace’ and described the author of this latest story as ‘heartless’ as they “build up the hopes of tens of thousands of housing applicants that currently are stuck on a merry go around going nowhere and on queue that is getting longer and longer.”

Deputy Seán Crowe said:

“This is a disingenuous and heartless story suggesting NAMA will somehow ‘conjure up’ 4,000 Social Housing units.

“This is clearly ‘old hat’ and wont happen.

“Two years ago of the 2,000 promised social housing units they actually delivered just 400.

“It’s happening, but at a ‘snail’s pace’.

“Over the summer, the number of people on Council waiting lists for social housing grew to a record high of 111,000 applicants.

“111,000 families and individual housing applicants, all on waiting lists, that are officially getting longer and longer.

“On South Dublin you can wait up to 8 years for an offer of an actual house or apartment.

“And NAMA is talking of rolling out only a handful of housing properties in the South Dublin Council area.

“The NAMA Social housing option even if speeded up is clearly no cure for the housing shortage in South Dublin or the rest of country.

“The author of this latest 4,000 story is ‘heartless’ as all he or she is doing is building up the hopes of tens of thousands of housing applicants that are currently  stuck on a merry go around, going nowhere fast and on queue that is getting longer and longer .

“People need realistic housing options not schemes and plans that are delivered at a snail’s pace.

“Sinn Féin last year published a plan that would begin the building 9,000 homes over the next two years.

“This would engender hope, create badly needed jobs, allow practical training for young apprentices and delivering badly needed homes.

“This would not end the housing crisis but it would help much more than empty promises from Government and their NAMA entity.”