Housing needs - Government must tackle challenge

Despite the phenomenal growth in the number of houses in recent years, Environment Minister Dick Roche predicts that 600,000 new homes will be needed in the next nine years.

This means that 66,666 houses will have to be built annually. Providing so many houses presents a real challenge, as the number of homes will have to increase by 38.88%.

This will have enormous implications for planning and community development. Just providing the number of houses will not be nearly enough. It is imperative that they should be quality houses, built in accordance with environmental needs and sited to provide for sustainable communities.

It is also imperative that the promised social and affordable housing is provided.

Unfortunately local authorities have shirked their duty by allowing builders to make cash payments in lieu of providing actual houses. Those councils are then supposed to provide the housing with that money, but few have met their requirements.

With rising house prices there has been a dramatic increase in the number of people in need of sociable and affordable housing.

It is a social imperative that a determined and concerted effort be made by Government to tackle this growing problem.