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LAST UPDATE | 12 Mar
IRELAND’S HOUSING CRISIS was described as a “good problem” to have by US President Donald Trump today during a meeting with Taoiseach Micheál Martin in Washington D.C.
The President was asked for his opinion on the issue by reporters in the Oval Office, after greeting Martin at the White House this afternoon.
He said: “Do you know why they have a housing crisis? Because they’re doing so well. The can’t produce houses fast enough. That’s a good problem, not a bad one. Everybody should have that problem.”
In response, Martin said: “That’s a pretty good answer, Mr President.”
The Taoiseach’s response to the question was met with laughter from others in the room attending the meeting, which included US Vice President JD Vance and Irish Ambassador to the US Geraldine Byrne Nason.
Trump and Martin fielded questions from US and Irish media for almost 50 minutes this afternoon before they began their private meeting ahead of the traditional St Patrick’s Day celebrations.
On housing, Trump said: “I know this gentleman [Martin]. He’ll get it solved.”
The topic of the shortage in housing stock came up again when controversial political commentator Brian Glenn asked Martin what his priority would be if he were to launch a platform, similar to Trump’s, to ‘Make Ireland Great Again’, using the acronym ‘MIGA’.
The Taoiseach said: “The number one issue in Ireland is housing. To be honest – and I think was correctly pointed out – we’ve got to build more houses.
“We’ve got to build them faster to give the young people of Ireland an opportunity to afford to buy a house or to afford to rent a house. We have a lot of very good things happening. That’s my number one priority.”
Estimates from the Housing Commission, included in a report last year, estimate that there is a shortage of quarter of a million homes in Ireland. Under the Programme for Government, the coalition has committed to building 300,000 homes by 2030.
While housing stocks remain low and rents remain high, record levels of people in emergency accommodation are recorded month-on-month. There has been a 13% yearly increase in the number people living in temporary accommodation.
Martin sat quietly during a number of questions, as reporters from outlets in the US quizzed the President about the domestic issues of the day, including a recent report on inflation rates and proposed changes to the American Department of Education.
On issues relating to Ireland, Trump denounced previous American leaders for letting US pharmaceutical companies to set up factories in the country, claiming that would not have happened had he been President at the time.
Trump said European countries, including Ireland, take advantage of the US markets. In response later, the Taoiseach described the trade relationship between America and Ireland as a “two-way street”.
Martin said that not only has Ireland allowed American companies, particularly pharmaceutical firms, to grow financially, but the country has also provided an educated and diligent workforce and access to the European market.
Martin said that that investment has been paid back with the announcement by major multinationals to reinvest those earnings into the US through the construction of manufacturing plants and local development.
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