Sinn Féin's Housing spokesperson Eoin Ó Broin has published an affordable housing plan today which provides information on how the party would deliver affordable homes in government.
Speaking about the plan, Mr Ó Broin said “Affordable housing was the single biggest issue in last February’s general election."
“A Sinn Féin government would commence the largest public house building programme in the history of the state. We would deliver 20,000 homes on public land in 2021.
“We would spend €2.8bn on public housing in 2021 an increase of €1.5bn on 2020 levels.
“Of these 20,000 public homes, 12,000 would be real social homes - 2,000 more that proposed by government."
Out of those 20,000 home he said 8,000 would be "genuinely affordable homes for working people", which would be split between affordable cost rental homes and affordable purchase homes.
He also said that affordable homes would be available for €230,000 to purchase in Dublin, the commuter belt and other major urban areas.
Elsewhere across the rest of the country, affordable homes for €220,000 or less would be delivered, according to their proposals.
“Households' eligibility for affordable housing would be set at a gross income of €55,000 for a single person and €85,000 for a couple.
Second time buyers
Mr Ó Brion added “For those wishing to rent an affordable home in the long-term or while saving to try and purchase a home, affordable cost rental homes will be available for between €700 and €900 per month depending on household size and income.
“Our plan is ambitious, costed, and urgently needed to help an entire generation of first-time buyers to gain access to homeownership."
He said their plan would also be available to second-time buyers who lost their homes through repossession, relationship breakdown or for those who are trapped in negative equity properties who need to trade up due to family size.
Finally he said “Despite promises from Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil during confidence and supply not a single affordable home to rent or buy has been delivered to date under any central government funded scheme."
