Sinn Féin used the first private members business slot of the new Dáil term last night to debate a motion on affordable housing.

Sinn Féin TD for Dublin South West Seán Crowe is calling on all TDs to stand up for workers and families and support the Sinn Féin motion.

Teachta Crowe said:

“Housing was one of the biggest issues of February’s general election and the delivery of affordable housing is something the new housing minister has paid a lot of lip service to.

“The reality is that Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil were in power for four years and failed to deliver any affordable homes to rent or to buy through any government scheme.

“Fine Gael did not publish any affordable housing scheme while leading the last government.

“Fianna Fáil has not published any detailed policy on affordable housing. They can’t even say what they consider affordable to be.

“The programme for government does not contain any affordable housing definitions, price points or targets. It is a repackaged commitment from the 2016 Programme for Government that was cooked up between Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael and never delivered.
“Sinn Féin is the only political party to publish a detailed, costed policy on affordable housing.

“I appreciate that there are those in my constituency who would not be able to take up affordable housing through age, infirmity or lack of savings. Affordable housing would serve to normalise the housing market, take people out of the rental market, and bring prices down for everyone, renter or buyer.

“Our Housing spokesperson Eoin Ó Broin TD has published an affordable housing draft plan that would deliver affordable homes to rent and to buy on public land.

“The government must undertake a massive house building programme on public land. That is the only way to deliver the genuinely affordable homes that people need.”