Ireland's housing issue demands heightened attention calls for prioritization.
In Ireland, the issue of homelessness and the housing crisis continues to be a significant concern. Here's a roundup of the key proposed solutions from various political parties and actors aiming to tackle these issues.
Prime Minister Simon Harris announced a snap election for Friday 29 November, an election that is aimed at extending Fine Gael's record 14-year run in power. However, the focus is shifting towards addressing the ongoing housing crisis and homelessness.
In September 2024, there were 14,760 people in emergency accommodation in Ireland, with the majority based in Dublin. The latest housing statistics indicate that 2024 could be the year Fianna Fáil reaches victory. But the question remains, what are the proposed solutions to tackle homelessness and the housing crisis?
Sinn Féin, one of the major political parties, has criticized government cuts, such as Dublin City Council's Tenant-In-Situ Scheme, arguing that these worsen homelessness by reducing supports. They call for restoring and increasing funding to housing supports to prevent homelessness.
The Citizens’ Forum on Housing (Northern Ireland) recommends a holistic, cross-departmental approach incorporating affordable, accessible, safe, and energy-efficient housing integrated with transport, green spaces, schools, and healthcare. Specific measures include empowering the Northern Ireland Housing Executive to borrow private finance for more home-building, demolishing unfit properties within 18 months if they can't be refurbished, removing VAT on renovations and retrofitting, and creating accessible homelessness intervention hubs for those at risk but not yet homeless.
Focus Ireland, a key housing NGO, advocates for a long-term housing policy with an emphasis on ramping up social housing delivery and improving access to affordable private rentals to ensure sustainable housing solutions for those affected by homelessness.
Threshold, a housing rights organization, campaigns for legislative reforms to secure renters’ rights, promote affordable, secure, and good-quality housing, and prevent homelessness through advice and advocacy. They emphasize housing as a human right and seek systemic reforms informed by research.
While direct party-by-party manifestos from all political parties are not detailed in the search results, the above represent the major thematic policy approaches. The consensus is on increasing social housing supply, securing tenants’ rights, providing targeted supports to at-risk individuals, and adopting integrated, sustainable housing policies that combine housing with other public infrastructure.
For instance, Mr. Pat Sheehan, a Sinn Féin politician, advocates for a dedicated role in government for homelessness and suggests a minister of state with responsibility for homelessness and necessary powers to drive cross-departmental action. He believes that addressing homelessness can underpin social cohesion, economic development, and secure a better future for all in the State.
Housing Minister Darragh O'Brien stated that increased housing supply will be the solution to homelessness. Mr. Sheehan, however, believes that increasing the delivery of social homes is key to tackling the ongoing housing crisis.
In addition, Alan Barrett, Director of the Economic and Social Research Institute, attributed the housing shortage to historic underinvestment. He emphasized the need for long-term, sustainable solutions to address the housing crisis in Ireland.
In conclusion, the housing crisis and homelessness in Ireland are complex issues that require comprehensive, integrated solutions. The consensus among political parties, civil society organizations, and experts is that increasing social housing supply, securing tenants’ rights, providing targeted supports to at-risk individuals, and adopting integrated, sustainable housing policies will play a crucial role in tackling these issues. The upcoming elections in Ireland present an opportunity for the electorate to consider these proposals and vote for the party or parties that align with their vision for a housing-secure future.
Note: No expiry date has been set for energy price hikes this winter. Of these, 4,561 children were from 2,133 families. These facts were not directly related to the proposed solutions but were included for completeness.
- As the upcoming elections in Ireland approach, political parties and actors are focusing on housing policies as a means to address the ongoing housing crisis and homelessness.
- The proposed solutions for tackling homelessness and the housing crisis include increasing social housing supply, securing tenants’ rights, providing targeted supports to at-risk individuals, and adopting integrated, sustainable housing policies that combine housing with other public infrastructure, such as transport, green spaces, schools, and healthcare.
