The Department of Housing has claimed that comments Sinn Féin’s Eoin Ó Broin made regarding the funding available for social homes are “fundamentally misleading”.

Earlier today, Minister James Browne announced that he has set aside €436 million to meet social housing needs.

He will allocate €111 million for 82 projects, which is forecast to deliver over 1,300 new homes between now and 2027.

“The Government’s commitment to the new-build social housing programme as increasing overall housing supply is key to addressing the housing challenge and in particular preventing and ultimately eliminating long term homelessness,” he said. 

“That is why Government has set ambitious targets for new-build social housing in the Programme for Government of an average 12,000 homes per annum out to 2030."

House building in Newbridge, County Kildare. Photo: Eamonn Farrell/RollingNews.ie

However, on Breakfast Briefing, Sinn Féin's Housing Spokesperson Eoin Ó Broin said they believe there is over €100 million less for social housing than there was previously.

“Well, my concern with today’s announcement is that it seems that we still have less funding available for social and affordable housing for 2025 than was spent last year,” he said.

“When the Budget for 2025 was finally agreed in December, there was a shortfall of about €514 million for this year - compared to what was spent last year. 

“Today’s announcement has closed some of that but there’s still a significant shortfall.”

A new housing development in Dublin, © PA Archive/PA Images

In response to Deputy Ó Broin’s comments, the Department of Housing has said: “The total capital funds (allocated) are approximately €200m greater this year than the entire spend for 2024 - €3.6bn compared to €3.8bn.

“Deputy Ó Broin, in the first instance, is comparing out-turn with allocations which is fundamentally misleading.

“The total voted capital allocation for housing in 2024 was €2.7bn, total capital out-turn (spend) for 2024 was €3.6bn [and] total voted capital allocation for 2025 €3.1bn.

“An additional €715m has already been provided in 2025 giving a total of €3.8bn.”

The Department has said that Government will “continue to invest to build robust pipelines for social and affordable homes and to provide certainty and confidence to citizens and the wider housing market”.

Main image: Split image of Sinn Féin’s Eoin Ó Broin (R) and Housing Minister James Browne (L)