Housing Minister Darragh O’Brien says he is “confident” that he can turn falling homeownership figures around by the next Census.
Figures released earlier this week from the Census taken in April 2022 showed that the homeownership rate declined from 67.6% in 2016 to 65.9%.
The levels have continued to decrease from a peak of almost 80% in 1991.
READ MORE: Homelessness figures pass 12,000 for first time, including nearly 4,000 children
Speaking at the opening of a new park in Cherrywood, Co Dublin, Mr O’Brien denied that the homeownership level had fallen “drastically” since the 2016 Census.
“They've levelled off,” he argued.
“We’ve seen home ownership in decline, actually, since about 1991. We've seen a slight decrease over the last six years.
“That's why I brought in measures like the First Home Scheme, which has supported about 1,600 households to buy their own home by the State taking the equity in between the finance they have and what they need to buy the homes.
“Also the expansion of the Help to Buy grant. Two measures, I might add, that the main opposition party Sinn Fein have said they would abolish. They are the crucial supports for people.
“I believe in homeownership. My party does and this government does.
“There is no question there's been a drastic decline over the last 30 years in homeownership but we're seeing that starting to reverse.
“I actually am [confident that I can turn that around by the next Census].”
Mr O’Brien argued that there were 10 to 12 years of undersupply and that the Government is “reversing the trend” and is “turning the corner in that space”.
On Tuesday, figures released by the Residential Tenancies Board (RTB) showed that 4,753 notices to quit had been issued in the first quarter of 2023.
Minister O’Brien said that the RTB also released figures saying that 26,000 new tenancies were created.
He dismissed calls from Labour leader Ivana Bacik to reinstate the eviction ban saying that the decision to end it was the correct one.
Minister O’Brien added: “We have seen a slight increase in homelessness and that is something that continues to be a worry to me but the only way to deal with homelessness and when people who don't have homes is to provide additional supply.”
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