No decision on salary for new housing tsar, says Taoiseach
Brendan McDonagh is likely be appointed as the head of a new Strategic Housing Activation Office. File photo: Leah Farrell / RollingNews.ie
The Government is yet to make a final decision on the salary for its new housing tsar, Taoiseach Micheál Martin has said.
Brendan McDonagh, the current chief executive of the National Assets Management Agency (Nama), is likely be appointed as the head of a new Strategic Housing Activation Office.
However, it was reported over the weekend that Mr McDonagh will likely retain his €430,000 a year salary from his time at Nama when seconded to the new housing office.
Questioned on this, Mr Martin said he understood public concerns about the reported salary for Mr McDonagh, but his “overarching concern” is about getting houses built quickly.
He declined to comment on the salary figure itself, saying the Government is yet to make formal decision on Mr McDonagh’s appointment.
Mr Martin pushed back on the phrase housing tsar, but said the new office would work to remove roadblocks and barriers to housing construction.
The Taoiseach said the job would be to take a “hands-on approach” to large projects in particular and resolve infrastructural issues, like water or grid connections.
He added that the position would be filled this week, when proposals are brought forward by the Department of Housing. “Our focus really is on getting the office set up, getting personal competence in there and to get things moving in respect of some large housing projects," he said.
“It’s all about output and getting more houses built as fast as we possibly can.”
Establishing the Strategic Housing Activation Office was agreed as part of the programme for Government, with housing minister James Browne receiving Cabinet approval to establish the office shortly afterwards.
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