A total of 1,300 homes could be sold by NAMA with no guarantee they will continue to be used as social housing, reports have revealed.

NAMA currently leases the homes to local authorities and housing agencies across Ireland.

Following the news, Labour Housing Spokesperson Jan O'Sullivan TD has called for the homes to be transferred to local authorities and kept in the public housing stock.

Deputy O'Sullivan said: "Reports today that 1300 homes used for social housing could be sold by NAMA, with no guarantee they will continue to be used as social homes are alarming. To think that the Minister for Finance expressed even 'cautious support' for any potential sale before receiving an ironclad commitment to keep these homes for social housing use is unbelievable. 


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"These 1300 houses should not be sold, and should instead be transferred over to the Local Authorities which currently rent them. To remove any homes from the social housing stock and sell them to the private market it nothing short of reckless while we are in the middle of a major housing crisis. 


"NAMA has not been able to give the Department a guarantee that after any potential sale their tenants will not be evicted in favour of private renters. This is just another example of why it is time to reconstitute NAMA. Labour has been calling for the establishment of a National Housing Development Bank which would replace the existing Housing Agency and the Housing Finance Agency and will take resources, including land and expert staff, from NAMA.


"NAMA's resources must be put to use to deliver public housing, and not continue to be sold to the private market at the cost of those tenants vulnerable to homelessness." 

(CM/JG)