Sinn Féin spokesperson on Housing, Eoin Ó Broin TD, has accused Minister for Housing James Browne of failing to be transparent about cuts to social and affordable housing funding and delivery targets for 2025.

The Dublin Mid-West TD made his remarks following a government announcement revealing that the budget for social and affordable housing in 2025 will be reduced by €104 million compared to 2024.

In a statement, Teachta Ó Broin highlighted the financial breakdown, noting that while €111 million has been allocated to new-build developments and €325 million to the Local Authority Acquisition Programme, the overall budget remains significantly lower than the previous year.

He said: "Today Minister for Housing James Browne has announced additional funding for the delivery of new-build social and affordable housing and for the Local Authority Acquisition Programme. €111m has been allocated to new-build developments and €325m has been allocated to second-hand acquisitions.

"When added to the €2.277bn for social and affordable housing set out in the December 19th Revised Estimates for Public Services 2025, this means that government has allocated €104m less for social and affordable housing this year compared to 2024.

-- Advertisement --

"In 2024, the total exchequer expenditure on the delivery of social and affordable homes under the five funding headings was €2.818bn. The allocation for 2025 as set out by the Department of Finance last December across these schemes was €2.277bn, €540m less than in 2024."

Ó Broin also questioned how the government expects to meet existing housing targets with reduced funding, particularly in the face of rising construction costs.

"While the government will try and dress today’s announcement up as an increase in funding for social and affordable housing, what it actually confirms is that the level of funding that has been cut for this year compared to last year, assuming that all of the €436m is additional to the allocations announced in the 2025 Revised Estimates.

"The funding allocated is intended to deliver the existing targets for social and affordable housing as set out in the last government's housing plan. There will be no increased delivery beyond the existing targets.

"This year new-build social housing output is meant to increase by 700 homes to 10,000 homes. Affordable housing targets to be delivered by Local Authorities, Approved Housing Bodies and the Land Development Agency remain static at 4,400. However, both targets were missed for 2024.

"How does the government expect to deliver more social and affordable homes in 2025 with less money and at a time of construction sector inflation? This is simply not possible. The Minister for Housing James Browne needs to come clean on social and affordable housing funding cut and delivery targets for 2025. He must explain how he intends to deliver more homes with less funding. He must also explain why his capital funding for this year has been cut."

The Sinn Féin TD also called for the publication of a circular issued to Local Authorities, which reportedly introduces new restrictions to the operation of the social housing tenant in situ scheme, a key homeless prevention measure.

"The Minister also needs to publish the circular issued to Local Authorities today setting out new restrictions to the operation of the highly successful homeless prevention support, the social housing tenant in situ scheme. There is widespread concern in Local Authorities and homeless charities that today’s announcement will mean less funding and more restrictive criteria for this important scheme."