James Browne’s pledge to solve housing crisis in four years may come back to bite him

With trust already damaged by the gulf between targets and delivery, housing minister's confident declaration risks putting a political millstone around the Government's neck

Housing minister James Browne speaking to media last Tuesday when he said the housing plan will be ready in the next week or two. The following day he went further, telling reporters in Skerries that he can fix the housing crisis in four years. Picture: Grainne Ní Aodha/PA

James Browne may regret promising to solve the housing crisis by the end of his term as housing minister.

Last Wednesday, he told reporters in Skerries that his aim was to fix the crisis within the next four years.