LABOUR Party councillor Conor Sheehan has condemned what he deems the government’s “abysmal” record on housing following the publication of the social and affordable housing figures for 2023.
Cllr Sheehan took the view that, despite nearly four years in office, Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael have “failed” to adequately tackle the housing crisis, leaving Limerick communities struggling for affordable and secure housing options.
He hit out that only 46 local authority affordable purchase homes were delivered in Limerick, and not a single one was delivered by the Land Development Agency (LDA).
“The housing crisis is the greatest civil rights issue of our generation,” he said. “Yet government have continuously fallen short of their own housing delivery targets. Targets which are far too low in the first place.”
“The housing delivery figures published last week confirm what the dogs in the street know, the level of delivery has been appalling.
“We know government planned to deliver 9,100 new build social homes, but instead 8,110 new build homes were delivered by local authorities and affordable housing bodies. It beggars belief that in a housing crisis, this low target was not met – where is the urgency?”
Labour’s vision for housing, he says, includes a proposal for setting up a State Housing Construction Company and implementing a new housing plan to deliver 50,000 new homes a year.
“It’s time for urgent and decisive action to ensure every individual and family in Limerick has access to safe, affordable, and secure housing options,” he concluded.
