Claim of 40,000 new-builds has not damaged trust in Government – O’Brien

By Gráinne Ní Aodha, PA

A claim that 40,000 new homes would be built in 2024 has not damaged trust in the Government, Transport and Environment Minister Darragh O’Brien has said.

The former housing minister was among the senior Government figures who claimed that close to 40,000 new homes would be built last year, including during the general election campaign.

Data published by the Central Statistics Office revealed that only 30,330 new homes were completed last year – below the target in the Housing for All plan of 33,450 new-builds in 2024.

The Government has been accused of ignoring figures that indicated housing targets would not be met, with Sinn Féin claiming the coalition knew it “hadn’t a hope” of hitting 40,000 new homes by the year-end.

Asked if the controversy over the figures had damaged trust in the Government’s comments on housing, including new housing targets, Mr O’Brien said “I don’t believe so”.

 

“I think if you look back by any fair assessment, over the previous term of government, we were able to substantially increase housing output,” the former housing minister said.

“We exceeded our three-year targets and built about 135,000 new homes, brought a significant amount of vacant properties back in to use, delivered affordable homes for the first time in a generation, more new social homes than we’ve done in over 50 years.

“I’ve said publicly I was disappointed with the out-turn last year. Didn’t hide away from that at all.

“We saw projections earlier in the year that showed significantly more than that, and that didn’t come to pass, but they’re not lost on us. We’ve also seen record levels of housing commencements in the last 12 to 18 months as well.

“It’s something that we will continue to work hard on. A lot of people haven’t felt the progress that we’ve made, I’m acutely aware of that.

“I represent an area that is a very young constituency where, thankfully, I’m seeing people being able to buy their homes.

“First-time buyers last year buying homes at the highest rate than we’ve seen since 2006. Is it perfect? No, it’s not. Do we need to do more work? Of course.”

Asked if he had advised the new housing minister and his party colleague, James Browne, not to make housing projections at the end of the year, he said: “Far be it from me to advise any of my colleagues what to do.

“But just suffice to say, myself and James – a very good working relationship. Very good relationship full stop.

“All of us across cabinet work together on all of the issues that we have to work on, no less so than housing.”