Sinn Féin is urging the Housing Minister to "urgently" look into the data used to measure housing completion rates.

Spokesperson on Housing Eoin Ó Broin TD said a number of commentators, including architect Mel Reynolds and Housing lecturer Lorcan Sirr have raised serious concerns about the level of accuracy of the figures.

He said: "Recently published CSO statistics also confirm that there is a major problem with the accuracy of the government figures.

"There are a number of problems with using ESB connections as an accurate source of housing completion data. This is primarily because when a house has been empty for more than two years the owner must apply for a new ESB connection. This means that vacant units, refurbished homes, and other existing empty properties are being classified within the new housing completion figures.

-- Advertisement --

"This distorts the true housing completion rates which the Department of Housing claimed to be 14,932 for 2016. However, in reality, this figure could be exaggerated by more than 50%.

"Despite the problems with using ESB connection data as a means of measuring housing completion rates, the Government has not signalled any intent to change its counting method. Architect Mel Reynolds has suggested using the Building Control Management System (BCMS) as a source. This building database records how many houses are complete and on the market each month. However, these figures are not currently published.

"If the Minster for Housing genuinely wants to reach his target of 25,000 new homes by 2021, he has a duty to publish the most accurate housing completion figures he can."

(CD)