Mayo TD calls for 'radical reset' of housing policy

A MAYO TD has called for a 'radical reset of housing policy' after figures from the Central Statistics Office show the number of completed new houses are lower than expected.

Sinn Féin TD for Mayo Rose Conway-Walsh has claimed that the government’s housing plan is now 'in shreds' following the publication of 2024 completion figures by the Central Statistics Office (CSO).

The figures showed that completions of new houses dropped by almost 7 percent compared to 2023 with 30,330 new homes being built last year compared to 32,695 in 2023.

“Throughout 2024, the Taoiseach, Tánaiste and Minister for Housing said that 40,000 new homes would be built. They repeated this claim despite the CSO quarterly figures showing new home completions plummeting,” said Deputy Conway-Walsh.

“These really are shocking figures, and my fear is that without a radical reset of housing policy these figures will continue to worsen.

“Thousands of families and individuals in Mayo are desperately looking for a home to buy or to rent. Too many children are growing up in unsuitable and unsafe conditions.

“These statistics represent real people – I have people in Mayo report to me that they are sleeping in their cars because they can’t secure affordable housing. I have witnessed people breaking down as they receive notices to quit from landlords and they know it will be almost impossible for them to get alternative accommodation. Most often there is no emergency accommodation in North and West Mayo,” the Erris-based TD said.

The CSO figures showed that in 2024, 53.4 percent of completions were scheme dwellings while 28.9 percent were apartments, and 17.7 percent were single dwellings. The east of the country saw the most completions with 54.3 percent of completions for the full year of 2024 in Dublin, Kildare, Louth, Meath, and Wicklow.

Deputy Conway-Walsh added that she is working with families who she says are 'crippled' by the housing policy of this government with many impacted by Pyrite.

“Amongst the housing emergency is the hundreds of families impacted by Pyrite waiting to rebuild their homes and their lives. Imagine what it was like this week when the severe storm struck. Is the government still going to be arguing about thresholds?

“Too many are locked out because they cannot afford to access the current scheme. One-hundred percent redress is the only way to ensure all victims of this scandal are included.

“Sinn Féin published the most ambitious public housing plan in the history of the state committing to building 300,000 new homes. We have long fought for 100 percent redress for Defective Concrete Block victims as well as a full public enquiry,” she concluded.