Sinn Féin's Eoin Ó Broin TD, has called for the reform of the social housing delivery saying that the Government's "excessive red tape" is slowing the delivery down.

The party's housing spokesperson made the comments after the release of the latest Social Housing Pipeline Report from the Department of Housing.

Mr Ó Broin said that in comparison to the 2022 Q3 report, the latest report "shows that excessive red tape and bureaucracy is slowing down the delivery of much needed social housing. At a time when homelessness numbers continue to rise to unacceptable levels this is totally unacceptable".

Eoin Ó Broin TD has said that Sinn Féin has been calling for a radical reform of the way which social housing is delivered. He stated that that there is too much micromanagement from officials in the Department of Housing which "needs to be streamlined to speed up the process of granting planning permission".

In a statement, Teachta Ó Broin said:

"While there are a range of factors than can delay the delivery of social housing, the biggest factors are the cumbersome four stage approval process imposed on Local Authorities and Approved Housing Bodies by the Department of Housing ad the overly compled public spending code imposed by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform.

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"These processes can add up to two years to the delivery of social housing after planning has been granted and before construction commences.

"In my own constituency, South Dublin County Council approved planning permission for 90 social homes on the New Nangor Road in early 2019. Construction was delayed until 2023 and the project is still not complete.

"A large mixed tenure Council development of up to 250 much-needed social and affordable homes in Kishogue, Lucan was delayed by the Department of Housing for going to planning for over a year, with the project still not in construction.

"The four-stage approval process and public spending code, both put in place after the Celtic Tiger are no longer fit for purpose. They are not only delaying much-needed social homes, they are costing the taxpayer more money as construction sector inflation inflation bites.

"Councils need to be given greater autonomy to progress projects that are within the Departments social housing price ceilings. Councils must be allowed to move to multi annual framework agreements with building contractors rather than having to detnder for every single job. And greater flexibility must be given to Councils and Approved Housing Bodies to deal with reasonable changes in construction prices.

"Every single year since this Government has come into office their inadequate social and affordable housing targets have been missed. Excessive red tape and bureaucracy are the primary reason. It is time to take the shackles off our Local Authorities and Approved Housing Bodies and let them deliver much needed public housing at pace.

"We need Government to increase and accelerate the delivery of much needed social and affordable housing. Until the Department of Housing’s four stage approval process and the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform’s public spending code are radically reformed, unacceptable delays will continue."