Plans for super-affordable housing a ‘gimmick’

LABOUR yesterday dismissed as a gimmick the Government’s announcement it was considering a new category of affordable housing to help those unable to afford a mortgage.

Housing Minister Noel Ahern said he was devising plans for “super affordable” housing, aimed at those earning approximately €25,000 a year.

The proposed scheme would compliment the existing affordable housing scheme, under which first-time buyers, with incomes of €40,000 or less, qualify for homes made available by local authorities at prices significantly below their market value.

Mr Ahern said he was concerned about “individuals who still find it difficult to get on the housing ladder” even with the affordable scheme.

Hence the “super-affordable” variant.

However, Mr Ahern’s announcement seemed to catch his own department by surprise.

The department’s press office was unable to offer any information on the new scheme, saying it had not received a briefing on Mr Ahern’s plans — indicating that the scheme is still at a tentative stage.

Labour’s Eamon Gilmore questioned the likelihood of the proposals seeing daylight.

“People in need of housing can have no confidence in this type of 11th-hour pronouncement from what is a dying Government,” he said.

“After 10 years of Fianna Fáil/PD rule, buying a home has become more difficult if not impossible for young working families, especially in urban areas.

“The Labour Party has been continually calling for the Government to revise and reassess its housing policies in order to ensure that those who cannot afford today’s high prices are able to have a home of their own.

“Their only recent interventions in the market have been to abolish the first-time buyer’s grant and reduce stamp duty for investors,” Mr Gilmore said.

Sinn Féin, meanwhile, said the key to addressing the housing crisis was by helping local authorities to build more social housing — homes owned by local authorities and rented to those who can’t afford their own.

“There are nearly 48,000 households on waiting lists for social housing across the state,” said Sinn Féin Deputy Sean Crowe.

“Nearly 85% of these have annual incomes of less than €15,000.

“The emphasis that is being placed on affordable housing, rather than social housing, does not address any of the problems of these people, a significant proportion of whom are reliant on disability supports or are long-term unemployed.

“These are the people left behind by this administration in every area of policymaking. If Minister Ahern was committed to solving the housing crisis, he would stop kite-flying and ensure that the National Economic and Social Council recommendations for a net increase of 73,000 units of social housing are included in the National Development Plan and not place the emphasis on affordable housing.”