Minister defends housing plan as surveyors say apartments now cost up to €650k

Housing minister James Browne repeatedly rejected a return to a blanket no-fault eviction ban being introduced, saying it would 'kill supply'. Picture: Marc O'Sullivan

The Government does not take every report on housing as “gospel”, but will consider findings by chartered surveyors that the sale price of apartments is now as high as €650,000, the minister for housing has said.

A new report by the Society of Chartered Surveyors of Ireland (SCSI) found that affordability remains a barrier for people looking to buy apartments.