Promise of 'game-changing' rental scheme amid dearth of available homes

Housing Minister Darragh O'Brien with Cork County Mayor Gillian Coughlan during a visit to the Townsend St development in Skibbereen. Picture: Michael O'Sullivan

The Housing Minister insists the Government is working “full-tilt” to solve the housing crisis, with "a game-changer" scheme for renters due to open within weeks.

Darragh O'Brien made his comments just days after Daft.ie figures showed rent price inflation is at a five-year high and the supply of available rental properties has slumped to a new low.

Mr O'Brien said housing supply is vital, but that after a decade of undersupply and two years of disruption caused by Covid, social housing delivery is starting to meet demand.

He also said the launch in July of applications for the First Home shared equity scheme will be a “game-changer” for renters: 

It is going to give a lot of people who are renting now a chance to be able to buy their own home. 

“We're going to bridge the affordability gap between the finance someone has and the finance that they need by the state taking that equity."

He also pointed to the launch of an affordable rental scheme, with one of the first such developments to be launched on Cork’s Lancaster Quay later this year.

He was speaking in Cork on Friday during visits to six new social housing developments in Skibbereen, Clonakilty, and Macroom which, combined, have delivered around 150 new units.

The minister said despite inflationary pressures, the state is on course to deliver 24,600 units this year: 

But we need to be delivering about 33,000 homes to get the supply up with the demand that is there.

He said the Government has to be honest with people about the timelines around building capacity in the housing sector and he took a swipe at Sinn Féin, labelling them a a party of "serial objectors" to either public or private housing developments to desist.

The minister officially opened six new housing schemes across Cork county on Friday — three public private partnership (PPP) schemes, two turnkey developments, and one own-build development which, combined, have provided 150 new social homes.

The own-build scheme at Beechgrove, Clonakilty, funded by the Department of Housing, managed by Cork County Council and built by MMD Contractors, includes 51 two, three and four bedrooms homes and six apartments in the original Beechgrove House and renovated associated outbuildings.

All the homes are A-rated and heated with renewable energy heat source pumps.

The PPP schemes include a 50-unit estate at Páirc Goodman in Skibbereen, a 52-unit scheme at Páirc Uí Thiar in Clonakilty, and a 50-unit estate on Páirc Uí Mhuirithe in Macroom, on a sloped site with views over the town. The are all a mix of two, three and four bedroom A-rated energy efficient houses.

The two turnkey developments are in Macroom — the 12-unit Árd an tSuláin has an equal mix two and three bedroom homes, and the 14-unit An Goirtín Rua features four two bed and 10 three bed houses.

Tim Lucey, the chief executive of Cork County Council, praised the council’s housing staff for overseeing the delivery of the schemes and he said the council is on course to deliver more than 3,000 social housing units by 2026.