News

People are becoming homeless in areas which are not designated as Rent Pressure Zones The Government’s decision to limit stricter controls on short-term lets to Rent Pressure Zones is a huge mistake, according to Social Democrats Housing Spokesperson Cian O’Callaghan “The Social Democrats have been calling for stricter controls on short-term lets for many years, […]

We do not know if Mr Hyde had sight of a draft copy of the Farrell review before he tendered his resignation Housing Minister Darragh O’Brien must make a statement to the Dáil outlining a clear timeline for the publication of the Farrell review into An Bord Pleanála, according to Social Democrats Housing Spokesperson Cian […]

The failure to resolve the housing crisis will have catastrophic consequences for entire generations of young people Ireland’s housing crisis is creating a poverty time bomb due to the soaring numbers of people who will be forced to continue to pay rent long after they retire, according to Social Democrats Housing Spokesperson Cian O’Callaghan. Deputy […]

There are nearly 16 empty homes for every homeless person in the country The Government must urgently respond to the huge rise in homelessness over the past year, according to the Social Democrats Housing Spokesperson Cian O’Callaghan. “There are now 10,325 people living in emergency accommodation, including 3,028 children. This is a 29% increase on […]

Ending homelessness should be a political priority, but it has fallen off the government’s agenda The government must urgently respond to the huge rise in homelessness over the past year, according to the Social Democrats Housing Spokesperson Cian O’Callaghan. “The number of people who are homeless has increased by a staggering 24pc over the last […]

95pc of Irish householders are living in homes that have not been tested for radon Mandatory testing for radon must be introduced whenever homes are being sold or rented, according to Social Democrats Housing Spokesperson Cian O’Callaghan. “Exposure to radon gas is the second-leading cause of lung cancer and is responsible for approximately 300 lung […]

If passed, this Bill will create transparency around land prices and developers’ profit margins Social Democrats Housing Spokesperson Cian O’Callaghan has advanced legislation that would create a new land price and ownership database. Speaking ahead of today’s Dáil debate on the Bill, Deputy O’Callaghan said: “Issues with land ownership, control and costs have haunted Ireland […]

Instead of pursuing the rapid introduction of a vacant homes tax, the government seems more interested in trying to undermine the rationale for one  The government must stop delaying and introduce a vacant homes tax immediately, according to Social Democrats Housing Spokesperson Cian O’Callaghan. “The introduction of a vacant homes tax was postponed because the […]

The Social Democrats are moving a motion in the Dáil tomorrow calling on the government to scrap this latest sweetheart deal for developers. The government must scrap its bizarre plan to gift developers up to €144,000 per apartment and instead use the money to deliver affordable, social and cost-rental homes, according to Social Democrats Housing […]

To date, all we have gotten from this government are delays, excuses and prevarications Any further delay to the introduction of a vacant homes tax is inexcusable and incomprehensible, according to Social Democrats Housing Spokesperson Cian O’Callaghan. “There were reports at the weekend that the introduction of a vacant homes tax is in doubt after […]

There are just 64 properties to rent in Cork, Galway, Limerick and Waterford cities combined – but 225 on Airbnb in Galway city alone Double digit increases in rent, and an unprecedented 77pc collapse in rental supply, are further indictments of the government’s handling of the housing crisis, according to Social Democrats Housing Spokesperson Cian […]

Why is the ambition of this government, when it comes to housing, so pathetically weak? The Housing Minister’s plan to bail out developers out to the tune of €120,000 per apartment, without securing any reduction in the cost of those apartments, is perhaps his most inane policy yet, according to Social Democrats Housing Spokesperson Cian […]

There is a crisis of decreasing rates of home ownership in this country which this government has failed to address The Housing Minister must confirm whether it is government policy that more than 80pc of residential development in Dublin City should be build-to-rent, according to Social Democrats Housing Spokesperson Cian O’Callaghan. “The proportion of build-to-rent […]

Just 175 social homes were built by the four Dublin local authorities last year It is a shocking indictment of the government’s failed housing policy that child homelessness has increased by 30pc in the past year, according to Social Democrats Housing Spokesperson Cian O’Callaghan. “Figures released by the Department of Housing today show that homelessness […]