Laois Senator warns working families being priced out of rental market with 1600 on Housing List

Laois Senator praises local authority’s strong social housing performance

Laois Leads in Social Housing, but Working Families Still Left Behind

Sinn Féin’s Senator Maria McCormack has today welcomed Laois County Council’s strong performance in exceeding social housing targets, while calling for urgent action to support working families who are being priced out of rental accommodation and home ownership.

“Recent data shows that Laois is leading the country in social housing delivery – hitting 187% of its target, the highest of any local authority,” said Senator McCormack, who sits on the Oireachtas Housing Committee. 

However, the Sinn Féin Senator warned that while this success is important, over 1,600 people remain on the housing list in Laois, and ordinary working families are being completely overlooked.

“I hear from families every day who earn just over the threshold for social housing but at the same time, cannot get a mortgage. They are priced out of buying or renting. These are nurses, guards, retail workers – the very people who keep our communities running. They’re being squeezed from both sides, with no support.”

“Our young people are leaving every day to start a new life in Australia and Canada and the main reason they are leaving is because of the housing crisis.

“Unfortunately, affordable housing delivery is not where it needs to be for Laois – young people and families need affordable options to rent or buy their own homes.”

Speaking ahead of today’s Housing Committee session, Senator McCormack said she would be raising the issue of delays in site servicing by Uisce Éireann and ESB, which are holding up housing delivery, including cases where mortgage approvals are at risk due to stalled connections.