Nesc Housing

Press Release 5 December 2004

Green Party welcomes NESC housing report and calls for Government action

The Green Party has welcomed the publication of a report from the National Economic and Social Council on ‘Housing in Ireland - Performance and Policy’, which recommends that the Government should concentrate on addressing inequality and sustainability.

Green Party Housing spokesperson Ciarán Cuffe TD stated that, “I am pleased that the Council believes that an increase of permanent social housing units is required. The report states that 8,000 new social housing units are needed each year until 2012. Currently the Government is providing only a fraction of that amount.”

“This comes in a week when the Minister for State with responsibility for Housing, Noel Ahern TD, has farcically welcomed the reaching of targets for the Sustaining Progress Affordable Housing Initiative, when not a single unit has been built.”

“The report also suggests that Local Authorities should acquire land banks for future needs. The Green Party believes that Local Authorities should be given the power to compulsorily acquire these lands at the existing use value plus 25% as recommended in the Kenny Report and more recently by the All Party Oireachtas Committee on the Constitution.”

“People on housing lists need housing rather than words from the Government. Action must be taken on foot of this report,” concluded Deputy Cuffe.

Ciarán Cuffe is a TD for the Dún Laoghaire Dáil Constituency. Ciarán can be contacted at Dáil Éireann, Kildare Street, Dublin 2 or 96 Patrick Street, Dún Laoghaire Tel. 284 6060 or 618 3082, Fax 618 4341, Email Ciaran CiaranCuffe.com, or Text Ciaran on 087 265 2075.