Sinn Féin and Fianna Fáil TDs hold Dáil 'shouting match' over damning Housing Commission report

Housing Minister Darragh O'Brien and Sinn Féin TDs Pearse Doherty and Eoin Ó Broin clashed in 'unedifying and unhelpful' debate 

Housing Commission report urged a radical strategic reset of housing policy, and was scathing on the 'ineffective decision-making and reactive policymaking where risk aversion dominates'.

Leaders’ Questions in the Dáil descended into an “unedifying” spectacle on Thursday afternoon, as Fianna Fáil and Sinn Féin TDs had a “shouting match” as they clashed on housing.

“I thought we were better than this,” said Labour leader Ivana Bacik after Housing Minister Darragh O’Brien exchanged words with Sinn Féin’s Pearse Doherty and Eoin Ó Broin.

The report of the independent Housing Commission dominated proceedings in Leinster House again, after it was published in full by the Government on Wednesday evening. 

The report urged a radical strategic reset of housing policy, and was scathing on the “ineffective decision-making and reactive policymaking where risk aversion dominates”.

Mr Doherty said the report “would never have seen the light of day” if it had not been leaked to the media earlier this week. He said for the Government to try to “spin” the report as an endorsement of its housing policy was “not credible” and an “insult” to the Housing Commission.

“You’re running scared of debate on this issue and the commission’s findings,” Sinn Féin’s finance spokesperson said, adding the radical reset needed could not happen under Fianna Fáil or Fine Gael.

Mr O’Brien said Sinn Féin had yet to publish its own housing plan and its policies would “take the legs from under first-time buyers”. He also said he would debate Mr Doherty “up and down” on housing.

Mr Ó Broin then urged the Housing Minister to commit to a Dáil debate on the commission’s report, as they all began to talk over one another. Mr O’Brien called them a “very disorderly bunch” and “pathetic”.

When Labour leader Ivana Bacik was given the floor, she criticised both sides for the heckling.

“We’re in the middle of a housing disaster,” she said. “It’s really unedifying and unhelpful to listen to a shouting match in this chamber.

“This is not helpful for the over 13,000 people who are homeless. It's not helpful for those living in their childhood bedrooms."