The Government will use legislation to rezone land for housing if local authorities decline to reopen their development plans, the Taoiseach has said.
Micheál Martin confirmed that the Government will take action and supersede decisions made by local councils that either opt to dezone land or not zone new land for housing.
“We are somewhat taken back," he said.
"I think the head of Dublin City Council has articulated he doesn’t need to rezone anymore. We’re hearing from some CEOs who don’t see the need for rezoning. We just can’t comprehend this.”
Mr Martin said the need for housing is “enormous”. He said there is an issue with houses being “overpriced in some cases” due to lack of supply.
“If we’re to have a sustainable future in housing, we simply have to zone more land,” Mr Martin said. "It’s not just for tomorrow, it’s for the years to come.
There will be very strong engagement, and robust engagement, between Government and local authorities.”
The Taoiseach said there are some councils that are “proactive” on delivering housing, while others are not.
Asked what the Government’s stick would be for local authorities who opt not to zone more land, Mr Martin said the Coalition could opt to directly zone more land, citing powers within existing laws.
In July, housing minister James Browne instructed local authorities to reopen their development plans and increase the amount of land zoned for housing.
The National Planning Framework calls for enough land to be zoned to allow for 55,000 homes a year. However, it also provides for 50% additional headroom, meaning land for up to 83,000 homes is permitted each year.
The Taoiseach said the Government needs to look at “everything” to deal with the ongoing housing crisis, describing costs faced by younger people as “exorbitant”.
On the new housing plan, due to be published next month, Mr Martin said it would be more “focused and succinct” than Housing for All.
On Monday, Mr Martin said he was “shocked” by reports that Wicklow County Council is proposing to dezone land which would have accommodated up to 3,000 homes.
“Government is not happy with chief executive officers of county councils the length and breadth of the country, who seem to be displaying a degree of inertia and lack of productivity in terms of rezoning land,” Mr Martin said.
“We have a housing crisis in this country. We’re hearing reports, some are writing that they’re not going to rezone their land at all.”
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