The new Housing Minister has vowed to change the Government's "approach” to the housing crisis after it emerged house building fell last year. 

The Government had expected around 40,000 new homes would be completed in 2024; however, new data from the CSO has revealed only 30,330 were completed - fewer than in 2023. 

On Newstalk Breakfast, Fianna Fáil’s James Browne admitted he had been “disappointed” by the news and described the housing crisis as the “single biggest social issue of our time”. 

“We went through about 10-years of under delivery and we still haven’t caught up,” he said. 

“We’ve a lot of work to do to catch up and, at the same time, our population has been increasing significantly as well. 

“So, there is very much a real challenge there… and we have to ramp up our housing delivery.” 

New houses under construction in Basingstoke. Picture by: PA Archive/PA Images.

In the Programme for Government, Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael pledged to build “more than 300,000 new homes by the end of 2030”. 

To achieve this, an average of 50,000 new homes will have to be built every year and Minister Browne conceded the status quo is not working.

“We have to change, I think, our approach on how we do that,” he said. 

“What I want to do as Minister for Housing, my entire focus is the ‘how’; how do we get to build more houses? 

“It’s not about ideology, it’s not about keeping particular sectors happy but we need to build, build, build. 

“That’s what we need to do in this country.” 

Micheál Martin and Darragh O'Brien opening a housing development in Dublin. Photo: Sasko Lazarov/RollingNews.ie

Despite years of news coverage about the severity of the housing crisis, Minister Browne added there is still far too much opposition to new homes. 

“I think often there seems to be in our planning approach in this country, the question often asked is, ‘Why should I say yes?’” he said. 

“I think we have to get to the opposite position of, ‘Is there a reason to say no?’

“I think we need to be able to clear that pathway to homes being delivered for people right across the country - in Dublin city and across the rest of the country as well.” 

Construction work in Dublin. Picture by: PA Images/Alamy

He added that last year’s Planning and Development Act was “very comprehensive” and would help “streamline” applications. 

“The new Planning and Development Act was passed a few months ago, that was brought through Minister Darragh O’Brien. 

“I think the Planning and Development Act that has already been passed can do an awful lot of that and addresses a lot of those issues,” he said. 

“We’ll be commencing that now as quickly as possible.” 

Property advisors DNG forecast that house prices could increase by as much as 8% this year. 

Main image: Split of James Browne and builders. Images by: RollingNews.ie