Housing Policy for Ireland
Objective
To provide adequate, affordable, and sustainable housing that meets the immediate and long-term needs of Ireland’s population while addressing challenges such as housing shortages, affordability, demographic growth, and construction industry constraints.
Core Policy Proposals
- Immediate Housing Needs
- Increase Public Investment in Housing:
Allocate significant funding for the construction of social and affordable housing through local authorities and approved housing bodies. - Expedite Modular Housing Solutions:
Deploy modular and prefabricated housing to quickly meet immediate needs, particularly for families in emergency accommodation or facing homelessness. - Rental Market Reforms:
- Implement rent caps linked to inflation to ensure affordability.
- Introduce tax incentives for landlords providing long-term, affordable rentals.
- Medium to Long-Term Housing Supply
- Set Ambitious Construction Targets:
Build 50,000 new homes annually over the next decade, prioritising social, affordable, and private housing to meet population growth projections. - Leverage State Land:
Use publicly owned land to develop affordable housing projects and reduce land acquisition costs for private developers. - Promote Sustainable Development:
- Encourage high-density, mixed-use developments in urban areas.
- Incentivise the use of green technologies to reduce environmental impact and long-term costs.
- Addressing Labour Shortages in Construction
- Proactive Migration Policy:
Prioritise skilled migration of workers in construction-related fields, including trades, architecture, and engineering. - Skills Development and Training:
- Expand apprenticeship and training programmes in construction trades to build a domestic workforce.
- Provide financial support for upskilling workers transitioning from other industries.
- Collaboration with Educational Institutions:
Partner with universities and technical colleges to promote careers in construction and offer scholarships or grants for relevant studies.
- Affordability and Financial Accessibility
- Reform Central Bank Mortgage Rules:
Review and adjust mortgage deposit requirements for first-time buyers to improve access to credit. - Regulate Bulk Buying:
Implement a temporary ban on the bulk purchasing of residential properties by investors to prioritise individual buyers and reduce commodification of housing. - Tax Policy Revisions:
- Offer tax breaks to developers building affordable housing.
- Reduce VAT on construction materials for residential projects to lower costs.
- Urban Planning and Social Inclusion
- Integrated Urban Planning:
Design neighbourhoods with access to schools, healthcare, public transport, and green spaces to improve quality of life. - Support for Marginalised Groups:
- Ensure new housing developments include units adapted for people with disabilities and the elderly.
- Community Engagement:
Encourage local participation in urban planning to ensure developments meet the needs of residents.
- Addressing Property Value Impacts
- Compensation Mechanisms:
If necessary, provide financial compensation or tax incentives to property owners in areas where policies may reduce property values due to increased supply or regulatory changes. - Gradual Policy Implementation:
Introduce measures incrementally to allow the housing market to adjust and minimise economic disruption.
Credits
Information relied upon in drafting these policies was sourced from the following websites. Credits belong to the respective owners.