Taoiseach says housing crisis can be solved using unemployment blueprint
The housing crisis can be solved by using the same blueprint the Government used to tackle unemployment in the wake of the recession, according to the Taoiseach.
Officially opening 42 new social houses in Ballymun, Dublin, Leo Varadkar said housing developments of all sizes are required to provide homes for the almost 10,000 people currently in emergency accommodation.
He said that the current homelessness and housing crisis could be addressed by mirroring Fine Gael's Action Plan for Jobs, which was introduced in 2012.
"If you want to solve a problem like the housing shortage you solve it in the same way as we solved the unemployment crisis and that means housing developments, big, small and large all over the country," he said.
"This is a development of 42 units, it will house 150 people, that's a lot of people in my view and this year across the country about 20,000 new houses and apartments will be built and we are aiming to build 25,000 next year.
"So I think it's a little bit about the jobs crisis or the unemployment crisis seven or eight years ago, nobody turned around and said that five jobs in a small business or 10 jobs in a medium size business didn't count and all that mattered was 200 jobs in a multinational," said Mr Varadkar.
The number of people in emergency accommodation, including hotels, B&Bs and family hubs, increased by 171 in September when compared to August, this included 136 children.
The Taoiseach also took aim at opposition parties which he said do not recognise homes such as those just launched as social housing solutions that are being delivered through Approved Housing Bodies and not by local authorities themselves.
Opposition TDs have criticised the Government for putting homes directly built by local authorities in the same category as those constructed by voluntary housing bodies, which they say is misleading.
Mr Varadkar said: "For some of our opponents, particularly those on the left, this doesn't exist because it's not directly built by a local authority, it's built through a partnership involving the city council and Oaklee Housing Trust.
"But I think to the people who live here they will tell you it's a really high-quality public housing and it's very much a model for the future."
The Oaklee Housing body has built 31 one, two and three-bedroom apartments and 11 townhouses on what was a derelict site.
"By working through Local Authorities and housing trusts like Oaklee, we are replicating this kind of development nationwide to provide more and more families with a safe and secure roof over their heads," said Mr Varadkar.
Attending the formal opening, Sharon Cosgrove, chief executive of Oaklee Housing said: “This partially completed development lay derelict for almost a decade and was an eyesore for local neighbours. Given the requirement for social housing in the area Oaklee Housing was delighted to acquire the completed units within a top quality scheme, which will provide much needed social housing for families in need."
