Government Must Double Capital Spending On Housing - SF

Sinn Féin Housing spokesperson, Eoin Ó Broin TD, has urged the government to double its capital spending on housing to deliver a sufficient supply of social and affordable homes.

He also called on Fianna Fáil to outline their spend on housing in Budget 2019.

Deputy Ó Broin said: "Fianna Fáil have said Budget 2019 must be a housing budget. Yet they have also said that they broadly agree with the government's spending outlined in the summer economic statement. These two statements are not compatible.


"Fine Gael's Summer Economic Statement commits an additional €800m on public spending or 2019 above existing commitments and demographics. This spend will be divvied up between €300m in tax cuts with the remaining €500m to be divided up across all other government spending commitments.

"Would Fianna Fáil be happy to stand over an additional spend of €100m on housing for 2019? This would only deliver 500 additional homes. An additional €200m would only deliver 1,000 extra homes. Is this what really constitutes a so called housing budget for Fianna Fáil?

He concluded: "Delivering a sufficient supply of social and affordable housing would require government to at least double their capital spend on housing in 2019 from the €1.3bn already committed to at least €2.6bn."

(CM/LM)