Gavan Reilly: Councils should do better… says the Dept for Councils!
The overall performance of the Department of Housing is still lamentable but there’s been a perception in recent weeks that James Browne is beginning to find his feet a little. Twice in the last month he’s had major business at the Cabinet agenda which warranted a standalone press conference; his performance at the first was visibly shaky, the second a little more commanding.
Perception might be seen as ‘spin’ but even the spin has some substance, especially when it comes to immigration.
Alongside measures like charter deportation flights, Jim O’Callaghan and Colm Brophy have been talking tough, looking to plant the impression that asylum seekers can now expect a quicker rejection of their claim.
The goal is to deter would-be arrivals from choosing Ireland as their refuge. Moves going to cabinet next week, narrowing the criteria for social and emergency accommodation, are in the same strain.
One tactic of Browne’s this week will be curious to watch. By the time you read this, the minister will have sanctioned the release of a league table of local authorities – intending to put pressure on the ones which are seen to fall short on their targets for both building, and acquisition, of social housing.
Meath does okay-ish. The figures suggest the County Council built 279 homes between 2022-24, just 34% of its target. The stat is poor, but that puts Meath as one of the top six ‘best’ performers on that metric.
A healthier measure is that, by supplementing its own building with turnkey properties for approved housing bodies and Part V social homes, Meath actually delivering 169% of its target for new public housing; only Laois did better.
One does wonder, however, how putting the blame will go down. Central government might blame the councils for delays in spending exchequer cash – but the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage (ahem!) would do well to remember which government department is responsible for governance on councils…