TAOISEACH MICHEÁL MARTIN has said the government plans to change its policy on one-off housing to allow people to build on their own land. 

It will be a departure from previous policies under the last government, which included the Green Party, who were strongly opposed to building large numbers of one-off rural houses. 

During a discussion on housing at the Fianna Fáil think-in yesterday, it is understood one of the common points raised by TDs, particularly those in rural areas, was around the difficulties constituents faced in getting planning permission to build a house on land they owned or that was owned by their family. 

‘Shift in policy coming’

Asked today if the government plans to change the rules around one-off housing construction under the new housing plan, which is due to be published next month, the Taoiseach said:  

“There is a shift coming on that. There’s a review of the guidelines and given the cost of housing and so forth, and also given the advances in terms of wastewater treatment, which is now much more effective than it would have been in an earlier era, we are looking at how to facilitate people building homes on their own land, in particular,” he said. 

He said the rezoning of land for housing by local authorities would help, stating that “rezoning would bring into play areas that are contiguous to built up areas”.

Taoiseach speaking to the media in Cork today on day two of the Fianna Fáil party think-in. Alamy Stock Photo Alamy Stock Photo

“We have to look at everything in respect to housing, because the costs for young people are exorbitant,” he said. 

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The country needs 50,000 to 60,000 houses per annum, depending which analysis you read, said the Taoiseach who told reporters today that if that is going to be achieved all levers in housing need to be activated.

“At this stage, we are in the 30,000 per annum now. But that would not be enough for the population increase. I mean, the population increased in the last 12 months by about 98,000 in one year.

“It has gone up exponentially since 2000 for a variety [of reasons] from births in Ireland, but also then from people with work permits in Ireland, which are sustaining the economy, to students who come to Ireland, and to others.

“And then we have those seeking asylum, but the vast majority are categories outside of those seeking asylum. But the population is growing, services are under pressure, infrastructure is under pressure” he added.