Clare Housing Committee Member Predicts Ireland Will Suffer Unless Housing Stock Boosted

Clare FM

A member of Clare County Council's housing committee fears the country will suffer "across every vein" unless a new government with a plan for boosting housing delivery comes to power. The spotlight has fallen on the shortfall of social housing here, as a new report has identified Clare as having the eighth lowest rate of local authority housing, as a percentage of total housing stock. Clare FM's Seán Lyons reports. ===== As a General Election looms larger on the horizon, housing looks set to be a critical issue once again. The Government's Housing For All Plan has an overall target of 33,450 new builds including private homes this year. Upon assuming the office of Taoiseach, Simon Harris said he expects quarter of a million homes to be delivered between 2025 and 2030. The opposition parties meanwhile have been vocal on their aspirations for increasing housing stock - with Sinn Féin stating its intention to build 50,000 affordable homes to rent and buy over five years. The Social Democrats have pledged to deliver 50,000 homes including 10,000 affordable homes and 12,000 social homes each year if in Government after the next election. Hilary Tonge was the Social Democrats' candidate in the Ennis Local Electoral area in the most recent Local Election and is currently contesting the branch nomination to be Clare's General Election candidate. She insists the focus must be on delivering affordable homes that are truly affordable. [CLIP] The Parliamentary Budget Office's most recent report states 4,646 households in Clare - or 3.6% of the county's population - are eligible for social housing but not in receipt of it. The report claims Clare County Council must boost its social housing stock by 58% and suggests this would cost over €732 million. Clarecastle Sinn Féin Councillor Tommy Guilfoyle believes only a change in government will result in housing policy that addresses the needs of this county.