Time for Sinn Féin to explain strategy of voting against badly needed homes – Farrell

The Sinn Féin leadership must give a full account in the Dáil about their strategy of objecting to or voting against homes, while they publicly decry Government which is ramping up the supply of housing, according to Fine Gael TD Alan Farrell.

Deputy Farrell made the call as it emerged the opposition party has objected to, voted against, or attempted to hinder at least 11,687 homes from being built in the capital, since 2018.

Deputy Farrell said: “As a Dublin-based representative, it is incredibly frustrating that public representatives from Sinn Féin appear systematically opposed to the delivery of housing projects in our capital and in other parts of the country.

“An analysis of planning applications submitted to Dublin City Council alone, reveals Sinn Féin representatives, including TDs and councillors, had objections or expressed concern about 5,741 homes from 2020 to 2022.

“Sinn Féin party leader Mary Lou McDonald, who represents Dublin Central, expressed concern about three developments which would deliver a combined total of 2,052 homes in her constituency.

“A previous Fine Gael report of Sinn Féin’s voting record on housing developments in South Dublin, Dublin City and Fingal County Councils from 2018 to 2021 shows the party’s councillors objected to almost 6,000 homes across Dublin.

“Week after week, Sinn Féin deputies harangue and shout down Government ministers and TDs and accuse them of not doing enough to solve the housing crisis. Yet their own party councillors and TDs are hindering the delivery of housing projects at a local level, with the argument that the State alone should supply homes with no intervention from the private sector or other agencies.

“In calling for an extension to the eviction ban, the party’s housing spokesperson Deputy Eoin O’Broin claimed the Government’s housing plan is not working in a newspaper column yesterday. Yet, he put forward not one of his own party’s proposals aimed at increasing supply, apart from a vague and undetailed suggestion that properties sold by landlords should be transferred to the social and affordable cost-rental sectors.

“Government is focused on the delivery of housing with a total in excess of 30,000 homes delivered across the state by public and private means. When numbers are finalised,  is expected that more new build social homes will have been delivered in 2022 than in any year since the 1970s.

“Government is also delivering the tenant in situ scheme where local authorities purchase a property and the tenant can stay in their home, the First Home Scheme,  and a proposed new cost rental model for tenants who are not on social housing supports that would involve Approved Housing Bodies and local authorities being able purchase a property and to continue to let it out to the tenant on a long term secure, tenancy basis.

“This week, the Sinn Féin hierarchy could explain who exactly is instructing their representatives to systematically vote against developments and obstruct the delivery of badly needed homes across the country. Perhaps then, it can be made clear that their objective is not to prolong this housing crisis for their own political ends.”