FINE GAEL’S LOCAL election manifesto promises to set specific targets for social and affordable homes for local authorities.
Taoiseach Simon Harris will today launch his party’s local and European election manifestos in Dublin, with a large focus on housing in the document.
“We need to build much more, especially starter homes for young people,” it states.
The Journal understands the manifesto also pledges that Fine Gael will back choice-based letting, whereby all local authorities will openly advertise social housing stock, allowing applicants to register an interest.
The manifesto gives a particular focus to ‘over the shop’ spaces, stating that the party will work with local and national government to see what further financial supports can be provided to make converting over the shop spaces into residential homes more viable.
Converting over the shop space is already a pledge in the government’s Housing for All plan, however, it has had limited success to date.
The Fine Gael manifesto also includes pledges to develop an up-to-date nationwide audit of land, which will include a publicly available map and list of zoned, zoned and serviced and unzoned land for each local authority.
One-off housing
The document is also understood to note the issue of one-off housing, stating that Fine Gael promises to take a “practical approach”, one which recognises the value of building thriving communities especially in rural Ireland.
In terms of renters, Fine Gael states that representatives, if elected, will ensure local authorities are monitoring compliance with specific planning permissions for certain private student housing developments, in light of recent criticism of 51-week leases, which the manifesto states not desirable for the vast majority of students.
The document is understood to also mention landlords, stating that the party wants to “work to keep landlords in the market”.
“For every renter, there has to be a landlord, and we will work to ensure landlords are encouraged to provide predictable. longer-term tenancies,” the manifesto states.
