News

The current mess should be cleaned up with one substantial new piece of legislation Repeated changes to legislation impacting renters is causing uncertainty and confusion for both tenants and landlords, according to Social Democrats Housing Spokesperson Cian O’Callaghan. “In fewer than two years, the Government has introduced six bills to amend legislation affecting renters. Coming […]

How can anyone on an average income afford to save €52,000? News that the median deposit for first-time buyers is now €52,000 is further evidence of how unaffordable housing has become, according to Social Democrats Housing Spokesperson Cian O’Callaghan. Deputy O’Callaghan was commenting after new figures from the Banking and Payments Federation found the median […]

Five children became homeless every day in October Immediate action from the government is needed to tackle homelessness as five children became homeless every day in October, according to Social Democrats Housing Spokesperson Cian O’Callaghan. “The latest homelessness figures show the number of people who are homeless and living in emergency accommodation has increased to […]

The shared equity scheme will throw further fuel on the fire of an overheated market The Central Bank’s warning that the Shared Equity Scheme will push up house prices is a shot across the government’s bow, according to Social Democrats Housing Spokesperson Cian O’Callaghan. “The Central Bank report today was crystal clear. It said that, […]

The introduction of directly elected Mayors should be a catalyst for change, not a mandate for more of the same The proposed powers for the directly elected Mayor of Limerick do not go far enough, according to the Social Democrats Local Government Spokesperson Cian O’Callaghan. Deputy O’Callaghan was commenting after the Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Local […]

Workers and young families, desperate to find a home, will find very little to be hopeful about in today’s figures House price increases of more than 12pc in the past year have firmly bolted the door to home ownership for generation rent, according to Social Democrats Housing Spokesperson Cian O’Callaghan. “House prices in Ireland are […]

An immediate ban on rent increases must introduced as a matter of urgency The latest rent report from Daft.ie is further evidence that rent levels are out of control, according to Social Democrats Housing Spokesperson Cian O’Callaghan. “It is alarming that rents have risen by almost 7pc in the past year. Average rents are now […]

It should not take more than a year to turn around a social home – this should be done in a matter of weeks  The State must take the lead in tackling vacancy, according to Social Democrats Housing Spokesperson Cian O’Callaghan T.D. Deputy O’Callaghan was reacting to a report, from the National Oversight and Audit […]

This is the third half-hearted and ineffective attempt to deal with big funds buying up entire housing developments The proposal going to cabinet today to allow local authorities reserve up to 50% of new developments for owner-occupiers does not go far enough, according to the Social Democrats Housing Spokesperson Cian O’Callaghan. “With this latest measure, […]

The granting of permission to this enormous development proves the city development is no longer worth the paper it is written on The decision of An Bord Pleanála to grant planning permission to a Strategic Housing Development on the grounds of Holy Cross seminary in Drumcondra is deeply concerning, according to Social Democrats Dublin Central […]

It is now time for council management and Housing Minister Darragh O’Brien to show some vision The proposed developer-led plan to deliver housing on public lands at Oscar Traynor Road is unaffordable and poor value for taxpayers, according to Social Democrats Councillor Patricia Roe. “Choosing to deliver this scheme through a private developer will result […]

Budget 2022 cut funding for homeless services by €24 million Housing for All is nothing more than a meaningless slogan given homelessness has risen for the fifth month in a row, according to Social Democrats Housing Spokesperson Cian O’Callaghan T.D “The latest homelessness figures, published by the Department of Housing today, show the number of […]

This Bill would create transparency around land prices and developers’ margins Social Democrats Housing Spokesperson Cian O’Callaghan has launched a Bill that would create a Land Price Register for the first time. Speaking in advance of introducing his Bill in the Dáil today, Deputy O’Callaghan said: “If the Government is serious about tackling land hoarding, […]

House price increases are now almost three times higher than the rate of inflation House price inflation is out of control because the government is pouring petrol on the fire of an already red-hot property market, according to Social Democrats Housing Spokesperson Cian O’Callaghan. “The Residential Property Price Index published by the CSO today shows […]