Fears homes are ‘just out of reach’ as Ireland ranks second worst in Europe

It has been revealed that Ireland has the second fewest homes per person across all of Europe.

The statistic was highlighted at the December meeting of Clare County Council where, councillor Joe Killeen called on "the Minister for Housing and our MEP's to progress strategies and devise an EU wide approach to help alleviate, in part, Europe's and thus Ireland's housing shortage crisis."

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Cllr Killeen explained that homeless rates are rising across Ireland, Finland, Demark and Germany with "purchasing houses is just out of reach of young people."

He said that if the EU can assist Ireland through different approaches including; simplifying regulations and streamlining the planning process, that will help decrease rates of homelessness.

Outlining that the key mechanisms of housing supports from Europe include, state aid rule changes, revising the service of Economic interests, invest EU to de-risk investing in sociable and affordable housing and EU affordable housing plan.

Since he put forward the call, Cllr Killeen stated that the Irish government has become "more proactive in trying to solve the housing crisis."

He explained that Ireland has introduced delivering homes and building communities as part of their 2030 plan with the aim to build 300,000 houses by then, with 72,000 being social homes.

In order to achieve this "measures such as reforming and accelerating the planning laws including changes to judicial review protocol, concentrating on fast tracking the development of infrastructure, aid to help housing delivery such as wastewater" and "under the revised National Planning Framework further land will be zoned."

Housing Activation groups have now been set up in Local Authority areas, with Clare's housing target increasing from 550 to "almost" one thousand homes.

With a budget of €204 million to focus on prioritising housing accessibility and delivery, has been "very welcome" by Cllr Killeen because "the housing situation in Ireland, whatever we [the council] have been doing, is not working, we just need to redouble our efforts and need to follow European lead - we do need to simplify things."

Cllr Killeen finished by saying "we do need to build the homes that are so badly needed."

Fine Gael councillor Joe Garrihy seconded the motion saying that the council "needs support everywhere it can come from."

Cllr Tom O'Callaghan for support the council needs to "put the direction on Europe" as they need greater funding as "the reality is that we are in a [housing] crisis."

He expressed his sorrow for people who "are in a role where affordability is becoming a extremely extremely difficult" such educators on a teaching salary. 

Cllr O'Callaghan explained how "in Ireland between 2010 and 2025, rent has rose by 115%, which is one of the highest in the EU."

Leas Cathaoirleach of Clare County Council Claire Colleran-Molloy highlighted that Ireland has Europe's second fewest homes per person"

She expressed her belief that financing is not the greatest obstacle to housing it's other barriers such as bureaucracy and infrastructure.

Cllr Michael Shannon noted how these issues are "a common theme across Europe", citing the most common issues holding up housing developments in his view as availability, pricing and water and wastewater facilities.

He said that there is a "need to reform on planning" as "it shouldn't take two years to come here and approve something that was going to be approved anyway."

 Sinn Fein councillor Tommy Guilfoyle supported saying "a housing crisis is a social crisis."