Broad welcome for housing plan from industry and NGO sector

Barriers such as planning delays, procurement issues, and access to critical infrastructure need to be removed if housing plan is to work, industry and charity leaders have said. File picture: Gareth Fuller/PA Wire

Both the construction industry and housing charities have given a cautious thumbs up to the Government's "ambitious" Housing For All plan.

But while they welcome measures to re-energise the housing market and construction industry, they say barriers to progress need to be removed.

These barriers include planning delays, procurement issues, and access to critical infrastructure.

Peter McVerry Trust chief executive Pat Doyle described Housing for All as a "progressive document" that will move Ireland closer to achieving "a more sustainable housing system that works for all in society".

“The ambition to deliver 90,000 social housing units, together with increased Housing First targets and growing the existing cross-Government work on social inclusion are all hugely welcome," he said.

Cork Simon

Cork Simon chief executive Dermot Kavanagh welcomed the fact a target had been set for ending homelessness, but warned previous targets had been missed. 

"There was a target date in 2010 and in 2016 and they were missed.

"Our hope is that the scale and ambition of this [strategy] will be sufficient to ensure that target is met."

The Society of Chartered Surveyors Ireland president TJ Cronin said a new sense of urgency and spirit of collaboration was required if the Government is to avoid "repeating the mistakes of previous housing plans".

Auctioneer Jim Finucane said: "Getting the various initiatives to happen without the usual rigmarole and putting in a streamlined application process for funding is what is needed here for this to work."

Cork Simon chief executive Dermot Kavanagh welcomed the fact a target had been set for ending homelessness, but warned previous targets had been missed. File picture: Leah Farrell / RollingNews.ie

Tom Parlon, Construction Industry Federation director general, said: "Expected infrastructure investment in the forthcoming National Development Plan review will be critical in optimising Housing for All.’’

The Irish Home Builders Association (IHBA) director James Benson said he hoped the plan goes some way towards meeting supply and affordability challenges.

"The numbers contained within the plan are ambitious, with 33,000 homes set to be delivered per annum up to 2030," he said.

"Our members will be working hard to supply these much-needed homes.

"However, it is important that issues such as planning and infrastructure, which are impeding delivery, are also tackled”

Focus Ireland

Focus Ireland welcomed the commitment to end homelessness by 2030.

The charity also acknowledged the ambitious targets for building new social and affordable housing outlined in the strategy but emphasised the importance of maximising housing delivery early in the 10-year strategy.

Chief executive Pat Dennigan said: "Since the current housing and homelessness crisis emerged around 2013, successive Governments have consistently underestimated the scale of the problem and the volume of the resources which are required to tackle it.”

Seán Moynihan, chief executive of the charity Alone, welcomed the focus on older people.

"We need to grow and maintain support for older people to age safely and securely in their own home," he said.

“The number of people aged over-65 is estimated to be in excess of 740,000 and is projected to increase to 1.6m in 2051.

"We need to plan for this increase in our older population and Housing for All can do this by investing in housing options that allow older people to age in their own home.”