ICTU News Release
The Irish Congress of Trade Unions has welcomed publication of the Report of the Housing Commission and called on government to “act with urgency on the Commission’s central call for a ‘radical, strategic reset’ of housing policy.”
Commenting in response to the publication of the Commission’s report, Congress General Secretary Owen Reidy: “This is a landmark report and potentially a watershed moment in the establishment of the secure, stable and sustainable housing system that we so badly need.
“Congress now intends to press the urgent case for change as set out by the Commission with government, at every available opportunity. Mr Reidy also paid tribute to the “sterling work” of former General Secretary Patricia King, on the Commission.
“The report lays out a coherent blueprint for that radical reset of policy, one that will shift us decisively away from the failed market-led approach towards a housing system that can deliver for young workers and families and all cohorts of society.”
Mr Reidy said that government should be particularly alarmed at a key finding of the Commission report, which revealed that we had one of the highest levels of expenditure on housing in Europe, but “one of the poorest outcomes.”
He said this was exemplified by schemes such as Housing Assistance Payment (HAP), an emergency measure to provide public housing that is now “no more than an expensive subsidy to private landlords, with the State gaining little or nothing in return. These resources would be far better invested in building good quality public housing, owned by the State.”
Almost €700 million was allocated for HAP and similar schemes in 2023 and Mr Reidy welcomed the call from the Commission to reform HAP and for greater State ownership of public housing provision.
He said Congress also welcomed the strong focus on public housing contained in the Commission report, in particular the call to increase the size of the public/ cost rental sector to 20% of national housing stock and ensure it remains in public ownership.
In addition, reforms recommended for the rental sector had the capacity to deliver genuine security for tenants: these include a coherent system of transparent rent regulation and improved inspection and enforcement of accommodation standards in the sector.
“The Commission has identified a clear strategic weakness in current housing policy, namely the failure to treat housing as ‘a critical social and economic priority’ and from this flows the chaos and dysfunction so evident across our housing system.
“No more excuses, it is time for a radical reset of policy,” Mr Reidy said.
