More imagination needed to solve the housing emergency
One- and two-bedroom apartments under construction by CAIRN in Douglas, Cork. The recently announced reduction in the minimum size requirement for apartments and other deregulations to increase the number of allowable units per core proves that the Custom House is listening to expert and experienced advice from the construction industry. Picture: Larry Cummins
When the Government declared covid-19 an emergency, bureaucracy was set aside and targets were achieved in recognition of the common good. No matter how well-intentioned the Government is about solving the housing crisis, it will require a collaborative approach as effective as addressing the pandemic.
While the recently revised National Development Plan (NDP) announcement of enhanced infrastructure investment, including over €30bn of investment in housing, is to be welcomed, a more imaginative approach is needed. At this stage, given rising homeless figures at over 14,000 - including 5,000 children - the need for housing is an emergency and should be declared as such.
