Taoiseach claims TD’s housebuilding suggestion ‘facile’

A suggestion by Independent TD Joan Collins that 50,000 houses could be built on State land was described as "facile'' by Taoiseach Enda Kenny in sharp Dáil exchanges.

Ms Collins said next to nothing was happening and there was now the incredible plan to gift to private developers 800 sites on land owned by local authorities in the main.

“Is it not time to end this madness, stop, take stock and commit to a programme of public housing, starting with the construction of 50,000 units on these State lands ?” she added.

Mr Kenny said Ms Collins could have said 50,000, 70,000 or 100,000 because she seemed to imagine housing could be conjured up like that.

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“She stated these things that are not real,’’ he added.

“What is real is a population growth of 3.8 per cent which is greater than the growth of housing stock of 0.4 per cent.’’

Housing stock

Overall, he added, housing stock had increased by a net 9,000 units, with respondents reporting 33,436 units built, admittedly since 2011.

Mr Kenny said he understood 23,000 families and individuals were in on Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) schemes.

That was a real figure involving real people, families and individuals.

“The unusual thing is I never hear of anybody being interviewed who has moved into a house with which they are happy with their families,’’ he added.

He said it was as if they never existed.

“They have been moved out of hotels and out of homelessness and into sustainable long-term housing conditions,’’ he added.

“It is as if they are just figures who moved off into the darkness.’’

Mr Kenny said planning permission had been granted for 16,375 new homes.

“That is a real figure,’’ he added. “Unlike Deputy Collins, we have to build the houses.’’

Ms Collins said she would call the Taoiseach’s housing policy a failure.

“As I expected, he has come back with figures, projections and plans, none of which add up,’’ she added.

“They are a fantasy.’’