Tadgh McNally: Removing annual housing targets removes political accountability

Taoiseach Micheál Martin TD defended the change in the new plan, saying it wasn't anything to worry about. Picture: Sam Boal/Collins

Almost a year on from the Government being formed, and we finally have a new housing plan.

Delivering Homes, Building Communities is the fourth housing plan in the last 12 years, the latest attempt by the Government to deal with the crisis that seems to continually bite.

The targets as outlined in the plan aren’t surprising. We have known the Government wants to see 300,000 houses built between now and the end of 2030. But to get there is going to be a challenge.

The State will need to more than double the number of houses it is currently building each year to get on track, going from the 30,330 built in 2024 to around 60,000 per year, if it wants to reach that target.

The public is feeling the fatigue of the crisis, with a Sunday Independent/Ireland Thinks poll showing 61% of people believe it will get worse during the coalition’s lifetime.

While we have an overall housing target, one of the key takeaways on Thursday was the removal of yearly targets.

The Taoiseach, Tánaiste, and housing minister all defended the change, saying it wasn’t anything to worry about.

Micheál Martin said: “When we had the annual targets under Housing for All, and when we exceeded those targets — the annual ones — the riposte was: ‘Well, you should have set the targets higher and they weren’t high enough.'"

This is true, but it is also fair to say that the previous housing targets weren’t high enough. They were based on 2020 Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI) research. By the time the plan got into gear, the research was largely outdated.

Significant deficit

It was a message hammered by opposition politicians for years, but the report of the Housing Commission in May 2024 crystallised the issue.

The report formally outlined the significant housing deficit in Ireland, estimated at between 212,500 and 256,000 houses. It outlined that the average yearly housing delivery needed to be around 60,000 per year, which is what we’re heading towards.

However, the removal of the yearly delivery targets removes some aspects of political accountability.

It makes it easier for the Government to sidestep the matter and removes unhelpful headlines, like we’ve seen when targets have been missed in the past.

It has learned its lesson with former housing minister Darragh O’Brien’s prediction of 40,000 new houses being built in 2024.

It seems part of the plan is to let the private development sector rip with moves on apartment sale Vat rate, size guidelines, and changes to the rental market.

It’s a move away from the State-led supports for the private sector, where the Government would assist developers in getting projects over the line.

Child and family homelessness

Alongside being described as an action plan on housing supply, it’s due to deal with homelessness — particularly concerning child and family homelessness.

There are actions there, including a €100m capital fund for 2026 to acquire second-hand properties to get families and children who have been in long-term homelessness out of emergency accommodation.

However, two key planks are missing. Both the action plan on child and family homelessness and the homeless prevention framework are yet to be delivered.

This was acknowledged by one Department of Housing source on Thursday, who said they were willing to take the short-term hit on the action plan to ensure homeless NGOs were heavily involved in its development.

“Without them, it's absolutely useless,” they said.

It is expected that the action plan will be driven by these NGOs, with another source citing their work with families on the ground.

The public will be watching closely in the years ahead as to the performance of this new housing plan.

While Mr Browne has pledged that the housing crisis can be solved within his term of office, there is a steep hill to climb and only four years left to reach the summit.