Sir, – Your editorial on February 24th, analysing the housing crisis, is well founded. The scale of Ireland’s housing shortage means that incremental progress will not be enough; sustained acceleration in delivery, infrastructure and planning reform is essential. Ireland has, rightly, long prioritised home ownership, while long-term rental – a stable and accepted tenure in many European countries – has remained comparatively underdeveloped. Expanding secure social and cost-rental housing at scale can help build a more balanced system, reducing pressure on both the private rental and ownership markets. A decisive year will require not only political resolve but consistent collaboration between Government, local authorities and housing providers, alongside recognition that durable solutions depend on sustained investment across multiple tenures.
