‘Absolutely galling and shocking’: Kildare TD and Cllr lambast Department of Housing's controversial underspending of €1 billion

The controversial revelation that the Department of Housing failed to spend over €1 billion of its capital budget for housing between 2020 and 2022 has been criticised.

North Kildare TD Réada Cronin (Sinn Féin) and Newbridge-based councillor Chris Pender (Social Democrats) have both voiced their disappointment and frustration over the news.

Ms Cronin said that she is 'even more concerned about the housing crisis in North Kildare' since the revelation.

Ms Cronin said: "New figures provided to Sinn Féin Housing spokesperson Eoin Ó Broin TD by the Department of Housing show that from 2020 to 2022 Darragh O’Brien’s Department underspent its capital budget by €1,517,999. 

"It’s absolutely galling and shocking how €1,004,926 of the underspend is from the capital budget for social and affordable housing delivery when people are desperate for a place to live."

She continued: "The unspent capital funding could have delivered at least an additional 4,000 social and affordable homes; this could have made a huge difference here in North Kildare, where people are at the end of their tether as they bunk in with family and friends and try to avoid emergency accommodation.

"The level of red tape and delay imposed on Local Authorities and Approved Housing bodies by the Department of Housing and the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform is the key problem."

Réada Cronin TD

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Ms Cronin further claimed that although local authorities, approved housing bodies and opposition politicians have been highlighting this problem for years, 'the Minister for Housing has refused to act.'

She elaborated: "The government’s incompetence has resulted in a billion euros of much needed housing funding unspent, at least 4,000 public homes not built and thousands of people homeless as a result.

"It is clear that the government is totally failing to get to grips with the housing crisis. People across North Kildare are trapped in cramped housing, paying sky high rents and losing hope of ever owning their own home.

"The government’s cruel decision to end the eviction ban with no plan in place to support the people affected will only worsen these issues in the coming weeks."

She also took aim at two Kildare-based TDs: "Deputy James Lawless and Deputy Bernard Durkan have been unable to say where these people are meant to go with all their possessions of their lifetime, not to mention their pets.

"Every day that this government continues in office, they cause more and more damage to the lives of people affected by the housing crisis.

"People in North Kildare deserve better: they need a government with the will to end the housing crisis by delivering homes that more ordinary people can afford."

Cllr Chris Pender

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Also commenting on the issue was Cllr Chris Pender, who said: "The underspend amounts to the cost of building 4,000 social homes, which would have gone a long way towards alleviating the suffering of those affected by the housing crisis in Ireland.

Similar to Ms Cronin, Cllr Pender also accused the Minister for Housing of refusing to act on the issue.

He also said that while he acknowledged the impact of Covid-19 on construction site restrictions, he added that 'this is not the main reason why so much money for social and affordable housing has gone unspent.'

Cllr Pender explained: "The level of red tape and delay imposed on local authorities and approved housing bodies by the Department of Housing and the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform is the principal problem.

"It is clear that bureaucratic obstacles or red tape are preventing the allocated funds from being spent.

"The government must act urgently to address this issue and ensure that every possible resource is directed towards addressing the housing crisis in Ireland.

"The excuses offered by the Minister for Housing do not stand up to scrutiny."

He further said that the housing crisis in Ireland has 'reached a critical level, with thousands of families living in emergency accommodation and many more unable to find affordable housing.'

Cllr Pender concluded his statement by saying: "Simply put, The most vulnerable in society cannot wait any longer for a solution."