Sir, – I read with interest Hugh Wallace’s analysis of the failure of social housing policies in Ireland (Property, October 13th).
While I agree with his conclusion that responsibility for the delivery of social and affordable housing should be restored to local authorities, his analysis does not address the need for a long-term, stable and self-financing funding model, including managing the cost of serviced lands in the manner proposed by the 1973 Kenny report.
The delivery of social housing must also be delegated to appropriately resourced local authorities, removing the current excessive bureaucracy and multiple departmental approvals.
I was surprised at the statement that “throughout the 1970s and 1980s the building of social homes stagnated”.
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The 1970s and early 1980s was the period when the “new towns” of Tallaght, Blanchardstown, and Lucan-Clondalkin were built, with large estates of social housing constructed in all three areas by Dublin Corporation and Dublin County Council.
The decline of direct social housing provision by local authorities followed this period due to economic slowdown and the lack of independent income for local authorities following the abolition of domestic rates.
The final nail in the coffin took place in the late 1990s when the government privatised the delivery of social housing through the “Part V” mechanism, whereby private developments were to include a mandatory percentage of social housing.
This latter provision was then almost immediately weakened significantly, removing the mandatory element, by the same government, under pressure from the building lobby. – Yours, etc,
ADRIAN CONWAY,
Kilcloon,
Co Meath.