Ireland sets out plan to build 300,000 homes amid housing crisis

The Irish government has unveiled an ambitious plan to address the country’s chronic housing shortage by constructing 300,000 new homes by 2030, including 72,000 social homes. The strategy focuses on expanding construction capacity, increasing zoned and serviced land, and supporting vulnerable groups such as homeless people, older citizens, and those with disabilities.

Housing Minister James Browne described the target as “ambitious but also realistic,” highlighting a €28.2bn (£25bn) state funding package. This includes €12.2bn (£10.8bn) for water and wastewater services and €3.5bn (£3.1bn) for power grid upgrades. Additional funding will support infrastructure projects and a “housing activation office” aimed at unblocking planning and delivery bottlenecks. The plan also encourages the conversion of vacant shops and premises into homes, with grants of up to €140,000 (£124,000) per property, alongside refurbishment funding for derelict homes.

However, critics argue the proposals do not tackle the underlying causes of the crisis and question the removal of annual housing delivery targets. Sinn Féin housing spokesperson Eoin Ó Broin labelled the plan a “reheated and repackaged” version of previous failed strategies, warning that delivering 50,000 homes a year will not meet demand. He added that scrapping annual targets appears to pre-emptively avoid accountability.

Responses from stakeholders were mixed. The Irish Congress of Trade Unions dismissed the plan as “old wine in a new bottle,” while the Irish Planning Institute welcomed measures to boost supply but emphasised that systemic improvements will take time to yield results.

Taoiseach Micheál Martin acknowledged housing as a “defining issue,” and Tánaiste Simon Harris called it a national emergency, stressing that the challenge lies in accelerating delivery rather than funding.

Read the full article to explore how Ireland plans to tackle its housing crisis and the hurdles that remain.