Build 50,000 new homes a year.
Build More Homes
Providing affordable homes is the civil rights issue of this generation.
Read our Housing Manifesto
Housing
Our Mission is to transform the housing system in Ireland and deliver secure, affordable housing for all by building at least 50,000 new homes a year. Our priorities also include strengthening renters’ rights, tackling vacancy and dereliction and ending the scandal of homelessness. You can read our plans for a new deal for renters here.
Far too many people are locked out of the housing market and many young people, in particular, have lost hope of ever owning their own home. Labour will change that. In government Labour will develop a new ambitious housing plan to build an average of at least 50,000 new homes a year over the next five years. It will be:
- Underpinned by the recommendations of the Housing Commission.
- Built on our policy commitments to transform the housing system.
- Realised through the establishment of a State Construction Company.
Social and Affordable Housing
Labour’s plan to Build More Homes includes delivery of:
- An average of 6,500 affordable homes a year with 30,000 over five years, rising to 11,000 by 2030.
- An average of 5,000 cost-rental homes a year with 25,000 over five years, rising to 6,000 per year by 2030.
- An average of 13,400 social homes a year with 67,000 over five years, rising to 18,000 per year by 2030.
These are our minimum necessary targets to reflect demand and capacity, and we expect these to be exceeded. Labour will carry out an annual review of housing targets and seek to increase these further as output increases.
Vacancy and Regeneration
Labour will undertake a new national survey and mapping exercise of vacancy and dereliction to provide a comprehensive database of vacant homes and derelict sites. We will then introduce a new comprehensive plan to tackle dereliction, and resource local authorities to CPO properties left vacant or derelict for over three years with a new streamlined process.
Our national survey will also identify vacant publicly owned buildings such as in the HSE estate and redevelop these as key worker housing.
Homelessness
Homelessness has reached record highs under this government with child homelessness soaring by over 76% since Housing for All was published. Official figures also don’t capture hidden homelessness. Rough sleeping has significantly increased.
Our plan to increase the provision of social and affordable housing and introduce stronger renter’s rights will address the underlying causes, and Labour will adopt a new approach that seeks to exit more people out of homelessness, prevent further increases.