Social homes building costs may become 'unsustainable' and raise reliance on private sector

The report said that if social homes were to be built for all those with an “ongoing need” for housing in 2022, it would cost the State €35bn, an increase of €6bn on 2020, even though the number of people requiring specific State housing supports went down, due to a spike in construction costs. File picture: Denis Minihane

Delivering social homes for all who need them would cost €35bn — up €6bn in just two years, an independent assessment has found.

Costs could become “unsustainable” and the State could be forced to rely “even further” on the private sector to meet these housing needs, the paper from the Oireachtas’ independent Parliamentary Budget Office said.