'No reference' to commission's recommendations in housing plan

Michelle Norris, a professor of social policy at UCD, said she was 'really disappointed' that no commitment was given to even examine the report's advice

Given that both Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael led the previous Government, Mr Lyons said one of his key concerns is that no major change will be made to Irish housing policy. File Picture: PA

The new coalition has been criticised by members of the Housing Commission for failing to include key recommendations of their landmark report within the programme for Government.

The report, published last May, had called for a radical reset in housing policy, while also outlining a major deficit in housing supply across the country.

However, several authors of the report have expressed their disappointment with no direct mention of the commission’s report within the new programme for Government.

“A sense of urgency is required,” said Ronan Lyons, a Trinity College economics professor and one of the commission members.

Given that both Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael led the previous Government, Mr Lyons said one of his key concerns is that no major change will be made to Irish housing policy.

“The incoming Government is largely the same as the outgoing Government, and the worry would be that no major change is required — but that’s exactly what the Housing Commission said is required,” Mr Lyons said.

A big shift in housing policy is required

While the programme for Government has committed to a new national housing plan, which will act as a follow-up to the Housing for All plan, it does not give commitments to implement measures recommended by the commission.

Michelle Norris, a professor of social policy at UCD and commission member, said she was “really disappointed” that no commitment was given to even examine the commission’s recommendations.

'Restatement of commitments'

“Essentially, the programme is a restatement of the commitments in Housing for All with some tweaks,” Ms Norris said.

Ms Norris said that, while the Housing for All plan is a “big improvement” on the previous housing plans, it is not “the step change in response to the housing crisis that the Commission recommended”.

“I am surprised that there is no reference to the Housing Commission and its key recommendations in the programme for Government,” said Cork-based property developer Michael O’Flynn.

“I strongly believe that the commission’s recommendations are crucial to unlocking an adequate supply of new houses, which is key to resolving the housing crisis”.

Mr Lyons said a pessimistic scenario is that the new Government will continue with “more of the same and hope it works”.

I think it’s not going to really work

Mr Lyons did welcome the increased housing targets, however, with the Government now aiming to deliver 300,000 new houses by the end of 2030. This is an average of 50,000 per year.

However, how those 50,000 houses per year will be delivered is unknown, Mr Lyons said.

Mr Lyons said that one recommendation he would like to see the new Government pursue is on planning permissions.

“When a planning permission is submitted, the question really should be ‘how can we make this valid?’, not ‘how can we reject this?’,” Mr Lyons said.

He said that this is typically through planning objections or when applications are taken to courts via judicial review.

The Department of Housing has previously said it is undertaking a full assessment of the report, which includes examining costings for the implementation of the report.