Madam, - In his letter of May 1st, Minister for Housing Noel Ahern is simply wrong to claim that the Government has successfully addressed the needs of house buyers.
He states that the National Economic and Social Council report of 2004 on housing concluded that the general thrust of the housing policy was correct. However, two years later, these policies have not come anywhere close to delivering. The NESC in fact recommended that between 10,000 and 11,000 social housing units must be built yearly to cope with our housing lists. The current provision is just half that.
Under Part V of the Planning and Development Act 2000, we should have seen 30,000 affordable houses built by now. Just 2,000 have been delivered. In addition, 10,000 affordable houses should have been built by now under the Sustaining Progress agreement. Again, this hasn't happened.
The establishment of the Affordable Homes Partnership is of course welcome, but we have yet to see the promised houses.
Despite the Minister's claim that the Government's particular policy focus is on measures to assist first-time buyers and low-income families, it is clear the main beneficiaries of this Government's interventions in the housing market have been, and continue to be, property investors. This is the same Government that abolished the first-time buyers' grant.
While home ownership for lower and middle-income workers has become an increasing struggle, Mr Ahern and his Government have indeed changed public policy on housing.
First-time buyers have been disadvantaged and investors have benefited. Under this Government, houses have become investments for living off, instead of homes for living in. - Yours, etc,
EAMON GILMORE TD, Dáil Éireann, Dublin 2.