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From:Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage

Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, James Browne TD, has today presented Ireland’s EU Presidency Housing priorities to the European Parliament's Special Committee on the Housing Crisis (HOUS) in Strasbourg. The Minister was also invited to attend the address to the European Parliament by Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney and met with him informally in advance of his remarks.

In his presentation to the HOUS Committee, Minister Browne highlighted the role the EU is playing in helping to make housing more affordable for all Europeans, the Irish EU Presidency’s plans to progress implementation of the European Affordable Housing Plan, and engaged in a constructive discussion with the members of the Committee.

The Minister stated afterwards:

“Ireland’s EU Presidency is a significant opportunity to build on the momentum achieved under the previous Danish and Cypriot Council Presidencies, to strengthen political consensus and to enhance alignment among Member States on our respective housing challenges.

“We will work closely with fellow Member States and the European Institutions, focusing on taking action and advancing an ambitious housing agenda for Europe.

“Indeed, Ireland has a lot of lessons learned that we can share with our fellow EU members. Ireland has the fastest rate of homebuilding per capita in Europe and new social housing completions per capita in Ireland are exceeding peers in Europe who are typically considered best in class for social housing. This was reflected in the delivery of a record number of new build social homes in last year in Ireland. These results are underpinned by the fact that direct public spending on housing in Ireland is the highest in Europe by a wide margin, when scaled for GDP/GNI.”

Ireland’s EU Presidency seeks to advance the European housing agenda through the progression and implementation of the European Affordable Housing Plan, including a proposal for a Council Recommendation on Fighting Housing Exclusion and a proposal for an Affordable Housing Act.

Key actions will also be advanced during Ireland’s Presidency, including the Commission’s preparations and consultations for a Housing Simplification Package; the launch of the Pan-European Investment Platform; and further expansion of the European Housing Alliance, launched earlier this year.

“On 25 November, I look forward to hosting in Dublin an Informal meeting of EU Housing Ministers and, on 26 November, a Ministerial meeting of the European Platform on Combatting Homelessness (EPOCH). These political meetings will provide a high-level platform for experience sharing and dialogue, including on key elements of the European Affordable Housing Plan.”

“We recognise that there is a housing crisis across Europe, common in almost all Member States. Failure to address our housing challenges weakens social cohesion, threatens our competitiveness, and limits labour and educational mobility.

“Under Ireland’s EU Presidency, we will do everything we can to work with our partners in the EU to make a positive and lasting contribution to addressing the housing challenges facing us.”