Securing the phasing out of housing subsidy schemes introduced by the current and previous governments would be a high-priority issue for the Social Democrats, its deputy party leader has indicated.
Cian O’Callaghan said the party would be making the case “very strongly” in any government negotiation talks that rather than having such subsidies, which “inflate” house prices, resources would be better directed towards affordable-purchase housing.
The Dublin Bay North TD said he did not see how it would be possible to keep the Help to Buy and First Home schemes while also focusing on building affordable housing.
He said he was “hopeful” that if his party does participate in the next government, “that we can persuade others that this is the approach that needs to be taken”.
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“It’s much better for someone if they can get a three-bed house for €300,000 in Dublin than a grant towards a house for €450,000 or €500,000,” he said.
[ General election: Housing battle sharpens as parties clash on rent freezesOpens in new window ]
Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil have both said in recent weeks that keeping the Help to Buy and First Home schemes are red-line issues for them in any future government formation talks.
Mr O’Callaghan was speaking at the launch of the Social Democrats’ housing policy in north Dublin on Friday, alongside party candidates Rory Hearne (Dublin North-West), Cllr Jen Cummins (Dublin South-Central) and Ross O’Mullane (Dublin South-West).
In its policy, the Social Democrats says it wants to put “affordability centre-stage” and build an average of 29,000 affordable rental, purchase and social homes every year from 2026 to 2030.
In total, it says it would build 303,000 new homes over the same period.
The policy also sets out a ban on no-fault evictions and specific zoning for affordable housing so that “only genuinely affordable homes can be built on specified areas of land”.
The party wants a ban on the bulk purchasing of homes, increasing the special rate of stamp duty on such purchases to 100 per cent while also increasing the vacant homes tax to 10 per cent.
The party also wants to hold a referendum to put the right to a home in the Constitution.
Mr O’Callaghan said the current approach to housing had “failed”. “The situation on housing five years ago at the last election was very serious, but over those five years it has gotten worse on every measure,” he said.
“Homelessness increased, rents are at record levels, house prices at record levels – half a million people in their childhood bedrooms.
“It is very striking. You say half a million people, it’s just a figure, but during the campaign we’re meeting one by one the people behind those numbers and [hearing] the effect that it’s having on their lives, and that sense of people not having hope.”
Mr O’Callaghan added that people were finding themselves in “very difficult situations” despite feeling “they have done everything right in life”.
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