Fianna Fáil is warning the proposed changes to the Part V of the Planning Act will exacerbate the social housing crisis in the country.

Fianna Fáil Spokesperson on Environment, Barry Cowen, TD said proposed changes to the 2000 Planning Act, which would see a 50% cut in the amount of social housing in new developments and the removal of local authority flexibility in the options available to them, will only add to the problem where over 90,000 people nationwide remain on social housing waiting lists.

He said: "Plans by the Government to change the Part V provision in the Planning Act will do nothing to tackle the social housing crisis, in fact it will exacerbate it.

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"By removing the obligation on developers to set aside 20% of new developments for social housing as directed by the local authority, it makes a bad situation a lot worse. In Ireland there are over 90,000 people on social housing waiting lists; house prices in Dublin alone have gone up 25% in one year, there is a profound housing crisis in the capital and in cities across the country. We need strong measures to directly tackle this, reducing the rate to just 10% is a step backwards.

"Instead of seeking to copper fasten Part V of the Planning Act 2000, Minister Alan Kelly is seeking to add to the crisis by cutting in half the provision for social housing in all new housing developments. This is diluting any attempts to address the crisis and risks undermining the role of local authorities in deciding what is appropriate for their area.

"As the property market recovers, Part V will begin to yield results again. While private developers may welcome this new Government initiative, it does nothing to address the real crisis."

(CD/IT)