Labour criticises Government’s housing record

THE Government’s commitment to social and affordable housing was savaged by Labour yesterday after it was revealed less than 2,000 such homes were built in the first nine months of last year.

Environment Department figures show that 1,912 affordable dwellings were completed to September 2006, 1,000 of them under part 5 of the Planning Act — which states that up to 20% of new housing developments should include affordable houses.

Labour’s environment spokesman Eamon Gilmore branded the Government efforts an insult to young families trying to get on the property ladder.