The Housing Alliance, a collaboration of six of Ireland’s largest Approved Housing Bodies (AHBs), has welcomed the Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI) call for the Government to invest in social housing to stimulate the economy.
The ESRI’s latest Quarterly Economic Commentary was published today (28.05.20) and highlights the likely consequences of the Covid-19 pandemic on the Irish economy. To stimulate economic activity and minimise the negative repercussions of the pandemic, the ESRI is urging the Government to invest in social housing and retrofitting homes.
Commenting today, Declan Dunne, Chair of the Housing Alliance, said: “The Housing Alliance welcomes the call made today by the ESRI that the government should invest in social housing to help stimulate economic growth. A return to construction following the Covid-19 crisis and investing in social housing is likely to ensure we are more likely to recover quickly and provide housing for those who need it. This will stimulate economic growth by creating jobs and crucially provide much-needed social and affordable homes.
“The need to invest in social housing has not gone away. As we saw in the General Election, housing is the major social issue in this country. It will continue to be a major issue for the Government until Ireland’s social and affordable housing needs are met. Now is the time to renew our efforts to provide social and affordable housing. This must be a key part of any new programme for Government.
“The Housing Alliance is ready, willing and able to play a central role in the delivery of social housing. Our members have a strong track record of delivery. We are responsible for approximately 22,000 social housing tenancies across the country – two-third of total AHB stock. We hope all members of the new Oireachtas respond positively to the ESRI’s call for investment in social housing and utilise AHBs as an effective vehicle to develop and manage social housing projects across the country.”
The Housing Alliance members are: Circle Voluntary Housing, Clúid Housing Co-operative Housing Ireland, Oaklee Housing, Respond and Tuath Housing. For more information visit: https://housingalliance.ie/
