The Pat Kenny Show A look back on the new stories of the week on our Friday Forum
Nov 14, 2025
Séamus McGrath TD is a Fianna Fáil spokesperson on housing, while Kathleen Funchion MEP represents Sinn Féin in the European Parliament, and Kevin Doyle is the Group Head of News at the Irish Independent. They dive into the new housing strategy, discussing its ambitious 300,000-unit target by 2030. Kathleen critiques the plan for recycling old funds and advocates for stronger tenant protections. The group also debates barriers to housing development and community safety issues, including recent concerns about youth behavior and policing capabilities.
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Episode notes
Ambitious Consolidated Housing Plan
- Séamus McGrath presents the plan as substantive, listing 80+ actions and an overall target of 300,000 homes to 2030.
- He argues the plan combines new measures with existing funding and reforms to drive delivery and scale up output.
Plan Recycles Funds, Lacks Tenant Protections
- Kathleen Funchion says the plan recycles existing funds and lacks emergency tenant protections like a rent increase ban.
- She warns the government underestimates annual need and calls for regional, localised responses and SME supports.
Repeated Plans, Persistent Problems
- Kevin Doyle notes this is the third major housing plan in eight years with persistent unresolved problems.
- He highlights a growing 'hope' problem where repeated plans fail to fix supply, costs, vacancies, and homelessness.