Housing policy 'not a disaster', claims minister in response to Michael D Higgins

At the opening of a Tiglin facility for vulnerable young adults Kildare, Jigginstown Manor, President Michael D Higgins said the housing crisis in this country is a 'great, great, great failure'. Picture: Colin Keegan/Collins Dublin

The Housing Minister Darragh O'Brien has hit back at the President, saying that housing policy is “certainly not a disaster”.

President Michael D Higgins had said on Tuesday that Ireland’s housing situation was a “disaster” and the country’s “great, great, great failure”.

“I do want to be very clear that certainly our Housing for All plan, which is only nine months old and which is taking effect right now, is certainly not a disaster, nor anything like it,” Mr O'Brien told Newstalk's Hard Shoulder programme.

“It’s the most-comprehensive housing plans that any Government has actually brought forward.” 

Mr O'Brien said that he “agrees” with the President that the State should be involved in investments in housing but said that this was part of the Housing for All plan.

Housing Minister Darragh O'Brien feels the Housing For All plan is one of the 'most-comprehensive' plans any government has brought forward. Picture: Sasko Lazarov/ RollingNews.ie

“We are seeing this year, and I agree with the President on this, he wants the State to be involved in a major way in delivering social housing. This year we intend to build more new social homes than has been done in any other year in the history of the State.

“The President, to be fair to him has a longstanding interest in social justice, as I do, and in housing, as I certainly do. But I am more positive about the policies that we are pursuing because they are taking root.” 

Mr O'Brien said that the housing sector was challenging, but was “certainly not a disaster”.