Jan O'Sullivan calls on Government to finance public housing

"The Government’s plans for Nama should not just be another funding vehicle for private developers. Following sustained market failure to deliver new builds, the State must now take a leading role in the development of affordable housing, and the long term financing of social housing through local authorities.

"The State needs to pick up the slack from where private developers have failed. There are simply not enough homes being built."

Deputy O’Sullivan first put forward a proposal on repurposing Nama in summer 2016.

"While I am glad to see the Government taking up this idea over a year on, it is simply not enough to funnel money to private developers. The repurposing of Nama should be transformational, not a private finance initiative," she said.

"Including public housing in a new remit for Nama would provide a framework for the construction of social and affordable homes through Nama's remaining land banks. It would also allow the State to tap into the existing expertise and resources already in place at Nama, and negate the need for the setting up of a new quango to deal with the housing crisis.

"What we now need to see from Government is a sense of urgency about ensuring social houses are built, and a national scheme that ensures homes that are built, are affordable."