Simon Coveney: Housing crisis on hold for holidays following "missed deadline"

Housing minister Simon Coveney has been severely criticised after he admitted he will miss his own deadline for launching the Government’s much-feted Action Plan for Housing, because of people “heading off” on summer holidays.

The plan to deal with the housing crisis was due to be published within 100 days but will be delayed, because the deadline falls during the August break, when the Dáil will be out of session.

Despite calling the housing shortage an “emergency” at the Oireachtas Housing Committee, Mr Coveney confirmed that it will be September before the plan will be launched.