Economist calls for action to address lack of houses

With the stock of properties on the market at a nine-year low, a leading economist has called for government action to address the lack of homes for people to buy, with Dublin the most starved market.

Ronan Lyons, assistant professor in economics, Trinity College Dublin, said the housing shortage was “serious, chronic, and getting worse” particularly in the capital where there are “just 27 homes for sale for every 10,000 people” compared to 62 per 10,000 elsewhere in the country.

The housing shortage is occurring against a backdrop of growing numbers of homeless people, currently 6,000, including 2,000 children.