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Fine Gael's Regina Doherty and Independent Ireland Ciaran Mullooly were confirmed as vice chairs today. European Parliament

'We need answers for families': Two Irish MEPs appointed as vice-chairs to EU housing committee

The committee will provide analysis and recommendations to the newly-appointed European Housing Commissioner.

TWO IRISH MEPS have been appointed as vice chairs to the EU’s special committee on housing.

Fine Gael’s Regina Doherty and Independent Ireland’s Ciaran Mullooly were confirmed as vice-chairs at the first meeting in Brussels this afternoon. The group of over 30 lawmakers are tasked with analysing the European housing market for one year.

While housing policy is outside of the EU’s remit of control, lawmakers this term recognised the need for political action to be taken at a European level after it was determined that there’s a continent-wide crisis.

The report will provide analysis and recommendations to the newly appointed European Housing Commissioner who will then move to introduce guidance to member states on how to monitor and regulate their housing market.

Speaking to The Journal after the meeting this evening, Doherty said it was her hope that she, and fellow Irish MEP Mullooly, can bring the country’s issues to the forefront of the debate in Europe through the committee.

She said that while many European countries are dealing with shortages in housing and have very different markets, the committee will allow the Irish politicians to get expert advice on the problems facing prospective buyers here.

“I want to see tangible recommendations that can be fulfilled by the European Commission,” Doherty said, adding that she hopes her vice-chair position will allow her to steer the direction of the committee so that it is not a “talk shop”.

Closer to home, a report published today by construction consultants Mitchell McDermott said the government could miss their housing target again - and only hit 35,000 new builds – in 2025.

housing Doherty said the committee should be focusing on the need to cut costs for builders, while delivering and insuring that houses are affordable. Alamy Alamy

The estimate is based on a wide range of projections from the three main housing types – scheme housing (estates), one-off homes and apartments – and the figures from last year.

Doherty said the projection was “not surprising”, as the report indicated that the leading issue facing the delivery of new homes is increased costs in construction. 

She said that there must be a focus on upskilling and recruitment in the construction industry, admitting that Ireland currently does not have the workforce for its 2030 target of 300,000 new homes.

“If we don’t finish them, then there is something else wrong,” she said, adding that “throughput” on recruitment must remain consistent for the government’s term.

The Dublin MEP said she is still confident Ireland will fulfil its 2025 housing targets set by the government, of which her party is a partner in, and took confidence in the commencement figures for the start of this year – totalling over 60,000.

Some MEPs, such as the committee’s chair, left-wing Italian MEP Irene Tinagli, want there to be a people-centred approach. Doherty agreed, but added that there must also be a focus on how to cut costs for builders and developers.

She said that those in the construction industry cannot be daubed with a “black brush” and that parliamentarians must recognise that inflation rates are increasing.

Mullooly said that he wants to find practical solutions to Ireland’s housing crisis. His party has promoted the increased use of modular and temporary housing arrangements as a medium-term solution to a short housing stock.

The Midlands North West MEP said he hopes the committee will help towards fixing many of the same housing issues that are happening at European level. He will meet constituents in Navan, Co Meath to speak with those impacted next month.

“We need answers that work for families and communities,” he said.

Tinagli told reporters in Brussels today that she would like the committee to have a people-centred approach to their report and place less of a focus on the ‘market’.

“The problem is different in EU countries but the problem is common,” she said, adding that the group would like to explore what the European institutions can do to make housing more affordable for families.

So far, the chair said, the group has been presented with “very worrying data” about the affordability of housing in Europe, leading to increased levels of impoverishment.

European political groups will meet to discuss what witnesses to invite to come before the committee in the coming weeks.

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    Mute sean weir
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    Jan 30th 2025, 7:01 PM

    Regina Doherty,a women who gave a character reference to a man who was convinced of defrauding the revenue,
    Who went bankrupt owning revenue 60,000
    Who got the Garda to question a woman at the airport because she didn’t like what that lady had said about her on twitter .
    Great stuff

    125
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    Mute Mr “JonnieBoy” Johnson
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    Jan 30th 2025, 8:00 PM

    @Harry Paisley: a pompous self righteous opinionated failure is old Gina.

    64
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    Mute Brian Hunt
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    Jan 30th 2025, 8:07 PM

    @Mr “JonnieBoy” Johnson: I think you’re being too charitable in your estimation!

    24
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    Mute Brian Hunt
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    Jan 30th 2025, 8:13 PM

    @sean weir: Regina of the Seven Genders, total gob$hite!

    32
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    Mute Jon Balfour
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    Jan 30th 2025, 8:26 PM

    @sean weir: she is one of the truly greatest Irish representatives in the European Union, we are very fortunate in that respect

    5
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    Mute Darth O'Leary
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    Jan 30th 2025, 9:30 PM

    @Jon Balfour: Well you are not somebody Regina would want endorsing her. I have many problems with Regina and her party but, unlike your sad self, she has never called for the extermination of entire groups based on their ethnicity. That puts you in a very select group of psychopaths, of which RD would steer well clear

    8
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    Mute PhiBo
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    Jan 30th 2025, 11:46 PM

    @Harry Paisley: Sums up the EU; appointing a woman who sat in government overseeing appallingly high levels of homelessness and families in ‘temporary’ accommodation, all the while waiting for developers to solve the housing problem here in Ireland. The rest of Europe stands no chance with a huckster like Doherty trying to solve their housing problem.

    14
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    Mute Padraig O'Brien
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    Jan 30th 2025, 7:53 PM

    Irish politicians on a housing advisory committee, sure what could go wrong?

    87
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    Mute Maire Hicks
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    Jan 30th 2025, 7:07 PM

    Glad those 2 involved in the theory test scam got jail time and hopefully the gardai catch the rest of the feckers and obviously someone on the inside involved.

    67
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    Mute Chutes Idiot
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    Jan 30th 2025, 7:20 PM

    @Maire Hicks: Very true Marie. Weird comments aren’t allowed on the article relating the sad passing of the brilliant Marianne Faithful, she led a fascinating life, may she R.I.P

    49
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    Mute Dan Murphy
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    Jan 30th 2025, 7:38 PM

    @Maire Hicks: Should have got ten and a deportation order.

    52
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    Mute Brian Hunt
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    Jan 30th 2025, 8:11 PM

    @Chutes Idiot: Ah yes, Marianne Faithful, Rest in Peace

    15
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    Mute Tony
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    Jan 30th 2025, 8:15 PM

    Regina Doherty, FFS. Her politics have caused the housing crisis

    57
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    Mute Ian McDonald
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    Jan 30th 2025, 8:33 PM

    @Tony: how so? Sorry to get in the way of a misguided rant, but she never held a housing portfolio

    9
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    Mute Jon Balfour
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    Jan 30th 2025, 8:40 PM

    @Tony: in what way?

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    Mute Barry Deegan
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    Jan 31st 2025, 12:25 AM

    @Jon Balfour: https://www.rte.ie/archives/2018/1114/1010933-banning-the-bedsit/
    They were losing money so they banned the bedsits. Was actually coveney that implemented the ban in 2013. Rents been on the up and up since then.

    8
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    Mute Paddy C
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    Jan 30th 2025, 10:33 PM

    Il give you a clue to the housing crisis if houses aren’t being built at the rate to house those in the country how will they house droves of people entering it? Many do not speak english entering so how will they contribute to the economy please explain someone?

    34
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    Mute Sea Spirit
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    Jan 30th 2025, 6:54 PM

    Lowry is some interesting individual, like he’s not going anywhere regardless of mud thrown and sticking.
    Borris the bullet dodger.

    30
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    Mute offside again
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    Jan 30th 2025, 6:56 PM

    @Sea Spirit: I bet you’re a fan of westerns

    4
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    Mute Sea Spirit
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    Jan 30th 2025, 7:58 PM

    @offside again: I don’t mind them but not a big fan, why?

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    Mute Darth O'Leary
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    Jan 30th 2025, 9:24 PM

    @Sea Spirit: Maybe he has incriminating compromat on some FFG heavy hitters. He’s dwelled near corruption long enough to pick up some tricks, I bet

    10
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    Mute John Brennan
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    Jan 30th 2025, 11:15 PM

    @Darth O’Leary: That might work for him elsewhere. But being exposed in Ireland is but a temporary embarrassment at worst. In many cases it is major career boost as he himself is living proof.

    11
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    Mute Gary Kearney
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    Jan 30th 2025, 8:56 PM

    Hopefully they can learn the Vienna Method of Social Housing. It works, and best of all after a number of years it not only have paid for itself but makes profits.
    The one Green Party Policy that was good and they never said anything!
    Instead the spent their time giving out to people and tell us to ride a bike!

    19
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    Mute Trevor Donoghue
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    Jan 30th 2025, 8:54 PM

    Can’t we only build a maximum of 35000 homes a year anyway due to irish water not been up hook up any more than that until we upgrade the water infrastructure anyway? And how many homes a year can ESB handle?

    16
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    Mute The next small thing
    Favourite The next small thing
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    Jan 30th 2025, 7:36 PM

    Strange that there was no mention as to why the consultants report stated that the targets would be missed again. The main reason is that we have ran the investment funds from the country, you know the ones that were financing these building projects. This is exactly what the opposition want and the government gave into them rather than explain to people that without these funds we don’t have the money to build. Again ideology trumps practicality. Watch the housing crisis get worse over the next few years.

    17
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    Mute Barry Deegan
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    Jan 31st 2025, 12:29 AM

    @The next small thing: foreign investors are building rental properties. People want to own their homes. Investors pay no tax on their rentals. They were buying built housing estates, renting them back to govt for 25yrs after which they are to be handed back. So the govt pays for the mortgage, maintaining the property for 25yrs and then gives it back! You couldn’t make it up. The should have CPO’d the whole lot. Same money out but no asset at the end.

    20
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    Mute offside again
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    Jan 30th 2025, 6:55 PM

    Apropos de rien : how can a worm get into a human brain ?

    7
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    Mute Ed Brennan
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    Jan 31st 2025, 9:12 AM

    The answer is,,,, stop immigration of those who hate us.
    Then there will be more housing for citizens of the West.

    6
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    Mute Thesaltyurchin
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    Jan 31st 2025, 1:30 PM

    @Ed Brennan: Nope.

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    Mute Ed Hughes
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    Jan 31st 2025, 12:36 PM

    Regina….. A Cunning Stunt.

    3
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    Mute Paul Kavanagh
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    Jan 31st 2025, 9:51 AM

    It’s what YOU voted for.
    No point whining now.

    2
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