Ten questions Sinn Fein must answer in their ‘alternative homes plan’ – Darragh O’Brien

Fianna Fáil TD and Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage Darragh O’Brien has outlined ten key questions which Sinn Féin must answer as the Party get set to publish their ‘alternative homes plan’.

 

Commenting Minister O’Brien said, “It’s just over eighteen months since the Sinn Féin spokesperson on housing pledged to publish his alternative housing plan. He has promised that it will be ‘comprehensive, detailed and fully costed’, however based on his failure to provide so much as a basic overview to date, I don’t believe this will be the case. It is imperative that the Sinn Féin plan addresses the following questions:

 

·       Are they still committed to abolishing the Help-to-Buy grant which has assisted more than 48,000 homebuyers with the deposit for their new home?

·       Are they still committed to scrapping the game-changing First Home Scheme which is helping First Time Buyers to bridge the gap between the finance they have and the finance they need to purchase their own home?

·       Are they still committed to ending the Vacant and Derelict Property Refurbishment Grants which more than 8,600 people have applied for with 5,400 already approved?

·       Will Sinn Féin impose the €400 tax on small landlords as set out in their alternative budget?

·       Are they still opposed to the development levy waiver and Uisce Éireann connection charge rebate which has spurred on the building of new homes with more than 51,000 started in the past year?

·       Will they budget correctly for their Renters Tax Credit given the €400M hole in their alternative budget proposal?

·       Will they finally answer the many questions in relation to their ‘affordable leasehold purchase scheme’ such as what restrictions will be placed on homebuyers and can they give an estimate as to how long it will take to establish this scheme?

·       Can they confirm that commercial banks have indicated positively to them that they will lend on the affordable leasehold purchase scheme arrangement?

·       Will they use up-to-date costings for the delivery of new homes in each county given that they have used out-of-date costings in the past?

·       Will they outline their position in relation to the Land Development Agency having voted against the legislation to establish it on a statutory basis.

 

What we do know is that half-baked policies and reckless remarks about decreasing house values create uncertainty and can damage housing supply by jeopardising investment in future homes.

 

Sinn Fein must be honest with people and must address these very reasonable questions in their new housing policy,” he concluded.