Taoiseach dismisses complaints about Ryanair buying up homes
Leo Varadkar suggested local anger about Ryanair's purchase of 25 of the 28 new homes in Fosterstown Place, Swords, Co Dublin, was misplaced. Picture: Gareth Chaney/Collins
Taoiseach Leo Varadkar says he does not have any issue with Ryanair or other companies buying up almost entire housing estates for staff, claiming such practice has been "happening for centuries".
He said there is a big difference between companies such as Ryanair bulk-buying houses and apartments compared to investment funds.
He was responding to criticism after 25 of the 28 homes in a new estate at Fosterstown Place in Swords, Co Dublin were purchased by Ryanair for its cabin crew.
Mr Varadkar said: “We are building over 30,000 new homes now every year. If you think about it, that’s 70,000, 80,000 or 90,000 bedrooms every year so we are finally seeing housing being built on scale.
“We want to scale that up this year and next year as well because we do have a rising population and family sizes are getting smaller, so we need more housing and we are making progress.
"It’s not the first time this has happened, it has been happening for centuries. I think it is different to an investment fund, for example, buying up houses that could be bought by families.”
The Taoiseach, speaking in Athenry where he opened BIA Innovator campus where €8m has been provided in funding to assists start-up, micro and small food businesses on the Teagasc complex, last week unveiled the €300m Decom plant which is going to be built in the mid-Galway town with the creation of 1,000 jobs.
He said these workers would also need housing and that some companies had been proactive in sourcing accommodation for generations.
“A lot of the people who work for Ryanair are local people and they are people living around Swords and living around towns around the airport and some of them live in my own constituency. The fundamental thing we need to ensure is there is enough housing for everyone to buy.
“A huge amount of housing is being built in Swords, the Fingal area, affordable schemes, cost rental schemes, a lot of that coming through and what we need to do when it comes to housing is instead of having people fighting over the pie, it’s about making sure the pie is big enough for everyone.
“One of the things I was delighted to see today was the number of first-time buyers drawing down their mortgage is at levels we have not seen since 2007.
"I was in my 20s in 2007 so it’s great to see we are back to that stage again where so many people are able to buy their own homes,” he added.
