Social Justice Ireland has set out a ten-point plan to address Ireland’s housing crisis and urges the Government to avoid the mistakes of the past, in its recent submission to the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage.

The real number of households seeking social housing is up 33 per cent since 2016, which is just one manifestation of Ireland’s current housing crisis and the huge failure of Government policy in this area, according to Colette Bennett, Economic and Social Analyst with the independent social justice think-tank.

Bennett said that the figure of over 170,000 social housing units in Ireland needs to be doubled if the country is to reach a target of 20% of all housing being made up of social housing.“Government needs to set a target to reach that level by 2030 if it is to genuinely solve Ireland’s housing crisis,” she said.

“Emergency housing policy in response to Covid-19 saw the introduction of a ban on evictions; prohibition on rent increases; payment breaks for mortgage-holders; a decrease in the number of people accessing emergency homelessness accommodation and the return of properties for long-term rent from the short-term holiday lettings market.

“However, as restrictions lift, so too will these housing protections. We need a new housing strategy that is fit for purpose and at the scale required to really address Ireland’s housing crisis,” she noted.