Two years on Housing For All is failing fast

• Delays across all action points
• Evictions up 20.6% in Q1 and Q2 2023
• Homelessness up 51.5% since launch of Housing for All
• House prices rise by 17.6%
• Renters continue to be squeezed with 21.3% increase

Labour leader and housing spokesperson Ivana Bacik has slammed Minister O’Brien’s failure to implement any change in housing.

An analysis of Housing for All and across the housing market tells a grim story of major delays, a rental trap, overcooked house prices and systemic homelessness failings. 

Deputy Bacik said:

“Housing for All is clearly failing. Homelessness is at record level, people are queuing around the street for a room, people being priced out of buying a home and people paying nearly half their wages on rent.

“Our analysis shows that the Minister is relying on spin over any real substance. Marked by delays across all action points, his plan is clearly not working for tens of thousands of people. All the key indicators are pointing sharply upwards. It’s not acceptable.

“It’s clear that the Minister’s policies are inadequate to tackle the challenges that remain. The lifting of the eviction ban, without any clear evidence basis, is just one issue that vulnerable people in the housing market are up against.

“Labour has called for the reintroduction of the no-fault eviction ban to provide some certainty for renters. With evictions up 20.6% in Q1 and Q2 of this year alone, we need to see a fundamental rethink from Government to protect against an increase in people entering homelessness from the private rental market.

“Having one person living in homelessness is a national disgrace, but Government seem content with almost 13,000 people living in homelessness at present.

“That’s a 51.5% increase since Housing for All was launched. Perhaps it should be named “housing for some” – it seems that Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil have consistently prioritised the interests of big landlords and investment funds over those of renters and families at risk of homelessness.

“Even when we look at supports for people hoping to get on the housing ladder, the Government is failing to provide equality of access. First time buyers are locked out of supports when buying a second hand home, many of the grants presuppose that people can pay upfront and claim back the outgoings later. That’s just not a possibility for the majority of people in the housing market.

“Last month, we saw research that showed more than two in three people in Ireland aged between 25 and 29 (68%) are still living at home with their parents. What choice have they?

“There has been a consistent rise in rents since the launch of Housing for All – 21.3%. Yet, again, we hear Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil floating proposals on tax breaks for landlords. It’s outrageous. The meagre renters’ tax credit doesn’t cover even one month of the average rent.

“Renters are not just young, they are not transient. We need a holistic review of Ireland’s rental policy. Tackling the unaffordability that is rife in the market is a good starting point.

“The Census shows that our population is due to rise above 5 million people. I have serious concerns about Housing for All, or this Government, being able to provide enough targeted housing on an annual basis.

“Our analysis shows that at least €1 billion extra will need to be put into housing if we are to reach the more appropriate and necessary target of building 50,000-60,000 homes annually.

“Ultimately, it is clear, and all experts tell us, that the State must take on a more direct role in the system, as the private market has vastly different objectives on housing.

“The overall objective of Housing for All was to ensure that “every citizen in the State should have access to good quality homes: to purchase or rent at an affordable price; built to a high standard in the right place; offering a high quality of life.” After years of private market failure, we must provide a new model to tackle the housing crisis. The supply and affordability crisis can only be sustainably resolved through long-term State action that delivers affordable housing for once and for all.”