Tánaiste claims 100,000 homes will have been delivered by Government by end of year

Tánaiste Micheál Martin: 'There is only one sustainable solution – build more houses to own and rent.' File Picture: Colin Keegan/ Collins Dublin

Tánaiste Micheál Martin has claimed that 100,000 homes will have been built during the lifetime of the current Government by the end of 2023.

In his speech at the 81st Fianna Fáil Ard Fheis, the Fianna Fáil leader said that Ireland is now seeing “positive movement” in housing, saying that “things are changing”.

He described the ongoing housing crisis as the “defining challenge of our time”.

“We understand the fact that helping people to afford to buy or rent a home is a defining challenge of our time. There is almost no other area where the pressure of a rising population and rising employment is felt as much,” Mr Martin said.

“There is only one sustainable solution – build more houses to own and rent.

I deeply understand how people can look at the difficulties of being able to get a home and be dispirited.

“But things are changing. By every measure of home permissions, completions, home purchases, first-time buyers, and mortgage drawdowns, we are seeing positive movement.

“By the end of this year 100,000 homes will have been built since we took up this challenge.” 

While he admitted that Ireland has not yet solved the housing crisis, he said that “real momentum is building” for the first time in years.

Mr Martin took aim at Sinn Féin for opposing schemes the current Government has introduced, without naming the party.

“It is now absolutely clear that there is a major difference between government and opposition in relation to housing,” Mr Martin said, citing the Help to Buy and First Home schemes.

“The main opposition party has opposed all of these affordable housing schemes and is consistently negative towards the concept of supporting home ownership.” Introducing Mr Martin, Housing Minister Darragh O’Brien labelled Fianna Fáil as the “party that builds”.

He described Sinn Féin’s housing policy as “the Loch Ness Monster of Irish politics”, saying that it was often heard about but never seen.

On the party’s record within Government, Mr Martin said that they wanted to deliver for everyone in the country and not just their voters, citing this as the reason for taking on housing and health.

Healthcare and upcoming elections

Speaking on healthcare, he said that Ireland’s growing population is being “felt deeply in our health services”. In particular, he said that over six million appointments are due to be handled this year alone.

Mr Martin added that services are improving due to new doctors, nurses and support staff being hired into the HSE.

On the upcoming European and local elections, Mr Martin criticised what he labelled as “aggressively anti-EU” MEPs. He said that the election next year is vital, praising current Fianna Fáil MEPs Barry Andrews and Billy Kelleher.

“It is time for all of us who value the European Union, who see it as vital to Ireland’s interests, to stand up against those who want Ireland to take a radically damaging anti-EU direction.” 

 Addressing the crowd in the Royal Convention Centre in Dublin, Mr Martin cited Fianna Fáil’s credentials in “international cooperation, fundamental human rights and peacekeeping”.

He praised Irish peacekeepers currently serving in the Middle East, describing them as having “courage in the pursuit of that most noble calling of all”.

The Tánaiste described actions by Hamas in Israel last month as “brutal savagery” with no justification, while also calling for the Israeli government to only respond within the boundaries of international law.

“The unfolding tragedy and the rising toll of lost lives and especially of children has to stop. We urgently need a humanitarian ceasefire,” Mr Martin said.

“We need all hostages to be released. And we need a significant scaling up of vital supplies for civilians and especially medical supplies.

“This terrible conflict is achieving nothing but death and misery. It needs to stop.” 

Concluding his speech, Mr Martin said that people who “always talk down our country” are not serious about helping people, instead accusing the opposition of “playing politics”.

“But when you see how far our country has come, you see a country with the capacity to achieve great things,” he said.

“The next chapter of Ireland’s story will be one where, building on work well underway, we show that we can and will deliver a prosperous and inclusive Ireland.”