Mick Clifford: Housing crisis won't be solved by wrongly shifting blame onto local councils 

When zoning was incorrectly blamed for planning delays, Micheál Martin lashed out at the blameless county council concerned

Taoiseach Micheál Martin. As we hit yet another record number of people without a home to call their own, it seems everyone is to blame but the Government. Picture: Leah Farrell/Rolling News

As the Government flounders in its attempts to respond to the housing crisis — with yet another record homeless figure last Friday of 16,353 people including 5,100 children — some, including the Taoiseach, are in danger of sounding like one of the new breed of populists who blame all on others.

On September 14, a story appeared on the front page of the Business Post, describing a “ridiculous” plan to “dezone land for 3,000 homes” in Wicklow.