New €312m housing plan criticised as 'insignificant'

The Government's new housing plan has been criticised by social campaigners and the Opposition.

The Coalition has said that the €312m package will be divided between all local authorities in the country.

An estimated 3,000 construction jobs will be created, with projects ranging in size from small clusters to developments of over 50 units for some of the Dublin local authorities.

Housing campaigner Fr Peter McVerry has described the funding as insignificant; while People Before Profit TD Richard Boyd Barrett claims the initiative will not even keep pace with the number of new housing applicants joining housing lists this year.

However, speaking to Tipp FM in Clonmel, the Environment Minister Alan Kelly said that today's announcement is just the beginning.

"Today is a significant announcement. Local authorities were not building units for the last number of years, but we have now reversed that policy," said Minister kelly.

"Today is a very positive day, as a result of that people will have homes and they will be homes available to the local authorities for years to come."