Taoiseach declines to confirm knowledge of Department of Finance housing delivery report
Wednesday 8 July 2026
During Dáil proceedings, the Taoiseach refused to confirm if he was aware of an internal Department of Finance analysis predicting a shortfall in the state's housing delivery targets.
The Taoiseach has declined to confirm whether he was made aware of an internal Department of Finance report predicting that the Government would fail to reach its housing delivery targets.
Dáil proceedings on 8 May 2024 confirmed the existence of internal analysis from the Department of Finance. This analysis verified that the Government would miss its targeted delivery of 40,000 new homes, indicating a significant deficit in housing delivery.
While the Taoiseach did not explicitly deny the existence of the report, his refusal to state whether he had prior knowledge of it drew criticism from opposition parties. Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald argued that the projected shortfall confirms ongoing concerns regarding the adequacy of current housing policy.
Defending the Government's broader record on development, figures cited during the exchange highlighted that over 12,000 homes commenced construction in the first quarter of 2024, representing a 60% increase compared to the same period in the previous year. Additionally, the State delivered over 4,000 affordable homes last year, rising from 1,750 in the preceding year.