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A HOUSING SUMMIT heard today that just 25,000 homes will be delivered this year, far short of the new housing targets of 50,000 per year.
The Construction Industry Federation / Irish Home Builders’ Association Summit in Croke Park heard contributions from experts in the sector that just 25,000 homes might be delivered in 2025.
The figure of 25,000 on completions was suggested in a contribution from a planning consultancy expert at the conference.
“I know there’s some commentary later today where it is suggested that could go as low as 25,000 this year,” Marian Finnegan, managing director for Sherry Fitzgerald Residential and Advisory told the conference yesterday.
She went on to state that in her view, it could be “plus or minus 10%” on last year’s housing figures of 30,330.
When asked about the predictions at some of the experts at the summit yesterday, the housing minister said it was too early in the year to make such predictions.
Browne said that people are obviously concerned after last year’s figures were missed, calling it “very disappointing”.
The former housing minister Darragh O’Brien and other senior Government figures claimed that close to 40,000 new homes would be built last year, including during the general election campaign.
Data published by the Central Statistics Office revealed that only 30,330 new homes were completed last year – below the target in the Housing for All plan of 33,450 new-builds in 2024.
The Government has been accused of ignoring figures that indicated housing targets would not be met.
Browne told the conference that he is “optimistic” about housing delivery this year, pointing to an increase in commencement orders last year, which he said should come on stream this year.
“It’s very early to be making any kind of predictions,” he said, dismissing the assertions made at the conference today over missed targets.
He said there has been a significant increase in construction activity on the ground in the month of March.
“We’ve seen a lot of the indicators on the ground are actually things are moving,” he added.
The government will have a “better sense” half way through the year if housing targets will be met this year, he added.
“We are working really hard for the last ten weeks and getting a number of different measures ready to go. The national planning framework is really the first big, main one,” said Browne.
The revised NPF, which was approved by Cabinet today, includes new housing targets of 50,000 homes to be built every year.
The minister said local authorities must now move at speed to rezone land in their areas for housing, or else face the “wrath” of the public, he told reporters.
“We’re going to act with real urgency here to get this moving… The core interest here is getting homes for families… and I’ll be moving very, very quickly,” said the minister.
Asked about a MyHome.ie report published today, which noted that the outbreak of a trade war between the United States and the European Union could hit demand for housing in Ireland, Browne said:
“I certainly hope there won’t be a slowdown in supply. We will closely monitor it. If we need to make steps or adjust, we will be flexible that way. But as I said, pent up demand is there from people in Ireland. I think that will continue to drive the need for housing right across the country,” he said.
Speaking about the Strategic Housing Activation Office, the minister said it will be “up and running in the coming weeks”, with the department “in the process now of seconding people from various utilities”.
A small team “of between eight and 12 people” will make up the team, with staff currently being seconded from various utilities, the minister said today.
He said the team will be “operational on the ground”, identifying where there is land that can be used and determining why that land is not being activated.
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