Taoiseach ‘in denial’ after blaming housing crisis on council inaction
Taoiseach Micheál Martin has been criticised for recent comments that local authorities were “dragging their feet” when it comes to rezoning land for housing.
At yesterday’s monthly Dublin City Council (DCC) meeting, Sinn Féin councillor Micheál MacDonncha described the comments as part of “Micheál Martin’s presidential meltdown”.
“Micheál Martin has been playing the blame game in the last month,” he said.
“He came out with his comments about councils being to blame and not zoning land etcetera, etcetera. We know the reality, it’s poppycock.
“He also suggested that many of those in emergency accommodation, among those 16,000 people and 5,000 children, may be not really homeless because they may have turned down offers.
“Again, any councillor in the chamber here can tell you that’s rubbish,” he added, calling on the Taoiseach to withdraw the comments.
Independent councillor Christy Burke said the statements from Mr Martin showed he was “in denial” about the housing issue.
“For the Taoiseach to put the blame onto local authorities that it’s our fault and it’s not his fault or his government’s fault, or his minister for housing’s fault, is the fact that he’s in denial,” he said.
Fellow independent Gavin Pepper also criticised the Taoiseach’s comments, adding that Housing Assistance Payments were not nearly high enough for families to get by in Dublin.
“There’s 20 houses available in my area in Finglas on Daft right now, where the average three-bed is €3,500 a month. If anybody thinks that’s normal or okay, they’re mad,” he said.
Speaking to reporters at a Fianna Fáil think-in in Cork several weeks ago, Mr Martin said: “Government is not happy that chief executive officers of county councils the length and breadth of the country seem to be displaying a degree of inertia and lack of proactivity in terms of rezoning land.
“We’re finding that many councils are dragging their feet on this. I’ve spoken to a number of CEOs and I’ve told them that if they’re not going to do it, Government will do it directly,” he said.
Mr Martin added that the government was “running out of patience” on the issue.
His comments came after reports that Wicklow County Council intended to dezone land for housing, following updated guidance in the National Planning Framework instructing local authorities to increase the amount of land designated for homes.