Taoiseach Micheál Martin has admitted that housing costs remain too high for many people in Ireland, despite progress in building new homes. Speaking at the Fianna Fáil Ard Fheis in Dublin, he said the Government had delivered 177,000 new housing units since 2020 but acknowledged that “it is not enough, we need to do more”.
Mr Martin pointed to a “massively increased population”, noting that there are 2.5 million more people in the country than in 1926, which creates additional pressures. He also cited migration as a challenge to the housing issue. The Taoiseach stressed the need to increase the volume and supply of housing, with a target of 10,000 newly built social houses per year to help address homelessness.
He said the proportion of first-time buyers has risen compared to four or five years ago. Mr Martin also confirmed that this year’s budget would have a “strong emphasis” on families, aiming to protect them from significant costs. He rejected the idea that focusing on families and businesses is mutually exclusive, saying economic growth is necessary for social progress.
Asked about the political landscape, Mr Martin said Ireland is in a “much more fragmented political situation”, with most governments now coalitions. He expressed confidence that Fianna Fáil had “turned the corner” from challenges faced in 2011 and had a clear roadmap for the future.
Outside the venue, a large pro-Palestinian protest was taking place as the Ard Fheis continued.
