Housing demand will continue to soar

IRELAND’s housing crisis will soar over the next nine years with 600,000 new homes needed, government estimates yesterday showed.

In fact, foundations for 66,666 homes will need to be laid down annually up until 2016.

Environment Minister Dick Roche yesterday said despite the extraordinary need for housing over the last decade, demand for homeowners would continue to be strong.

“The last decade has seen phenomenal demand for housing and record levels of housing output to meet that demand. However, it has been estimated that a further 600,000 homes will be required over the next nine years.

“The scale of these requirements presents a challenge and an opportunity to deliver new development to the highest physical and environmental quality.”

Setting out a vision for the future, a department report, Delivering Homes, Sustaining Communities, said the number of homes would rise from 1.8 million to over 2.5 million by 2020.

The 96-page report warns this increase poses problems with planning, delivery and community development.

Community leaders welcomed the building vision but warned it lacked commitment on social housing.

Focus Ireland said that those in most need seemed to be left out.

Declan Jones, chief executive of Focus Ireland, said: “Focus Ireland welcomes the aim of the housing policy to build sustainable communities through providing quality housing.

“Access to safe, secure and affordable housing which appropriately meets individual needs. This is a fundamental human need and it is critical to health, well-being and participation in society.”

Focus Ireland helps prevent people becoming homeless.

Mr Jones added: “It’s good to see that many key issues hindering improved access to housing are identified, including improved standards and inspection in the private, rented sector, reform of housing needs assessment, and changes in the governance and funding of community and voluntary sector housing.

“While these reforms are welcome, the level of commitment to social housing provision remains weak and the targets set out in this plan, which echo the Social Partnership agreement Towards 2016, are below what is required.”

Under the National Development Plan, €18 billion is pledged for housing programmes.