Speaking in response to the Minister's comments, Sinn Féin representative Eoin Ó Broin TD said: "The government launched its new housing plan in September 2021. At the heart of the plan was an average annual new home completion target of 33,000 homes a year, delivered by both the public and private sectors.
"At the time, Sinn Féin said this target was too low. We said it underestimated existing demand for social and affordable homes and that at least 40,000 new homes would be needed.
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"Crucially, we argued that half of this number, 20,000, must be social and affordable, delivered by the state.
"Most independent experts also argued that the 33,000-a-year target was too low, with some suggesting that real housing need was closer to 50,000 new homes a year.
"Yesterday, the Minister for Housing finally admitted that his housing targets are too low. He conceded that the 40,000 figure, as argued by Sinn Féin, is what is needed.
"The government's housing plan is now in tatters. They have effectively admitted that even if they meet their low targets the crisis will continue.
"Unfortunately with each year of undersupply, the overall housing need increases further. This means that the actual annual need could now be even higher than 40,000.
"We need to take political interference out of crucial data such as housing need. An independent assessment must be urgently carried out by the ESRI, CSO and Housing Agency in order to provide an evidence based and rigorous assessment of overall housing need and within that of social and affordable housing need."
