‘No spin’ in 46,000 housing unit figure

The Department of the Environment has insisted it is not misleading the public with false promises to solve the housing crisis, despite internal correspondence saying officials are “spinning” information on the space available to build new homes.

Labour deputy leader Alan Kelly’s department was forced to issue the denial after weekend reports claimed it has put forward incorrect figures on how much land has been zoned for housing units in Dublin.

In internal communications between the Department of Environment and Department of Finance last September, an official for Mr Kelly wrote: “We have been spinning that there is sufficient land with planning permission/zoned for housing circa 46,000 units, but the reality is this figure includes land not yet zoned for housing and without planning permission.”