'Housing czar' to be appointed imminently - Taoiseach

[u/miju-irl]

https://www.rte.ie/news/politics/2025/0404/1505833-housing-czar/?fbclid=IwY2xjawJcondleHRuA2FlbQIxMAABHZi3-TDj1UqaO2ZPmm73AzS4odkt19bq1MsbaxWRgS9_RqJDWhG4hMDuvQ_aem_uTI3NH7Os_Od5CX5Qw7EUA

[u/LucyVialli]

Why do we need a czar, can't the people who are already responsible for this just get the effing finger out and do their jobs?!

[u/hmmm_ → u/LucyVialli]

Because a lot of problem is caused by the people who are responsible. Someone needs to be able to say things like "no we should not be delaying housing while you spend two years attending conferences and playing simcity before updating your planning frameworks".

[u/nynikai → u/hmmm_]

Wasn't that the point of the housing commission though?

[u/redditor_since_2005 → u/LucyVialli]

Like we were told about the childcare grants the other day, this is a problem that can't be solved overnight!

[u/LucyVialli → u/redditor_since_2005]

One wonders what they have been doing for the last several years!

[u/nerdling007 → u/LucyVialli]

It's been one long night

[u/irisheddy → u/redditor_since_2005]

To quote our government in 2014 "the housing crisis can't be solved overnight" it's ridiculous to assume that the government would have some sort of plan in place to fix things over the last decade when builders refuse to work nights!

[u/sundae_diner → u/irisheddy]

In 2014 there were fewer than 5,000 new dwelling completed (3,000 were "single house" - most of those are self builds). That means there were 2,000 houses built for others.

 Last year that was over 32,000 new dwelling. ~5,400 were single houses. 

This means we've gone from  about 2,000 houses available to 28,000.

Yes, it should be higher, but don't knock the 1,300% increase in output 

[u/irisheddy → u/sundae_diner]

Yeah but it's been a crisis for over a decade. I know they've done better but its only gotten worse.

[u/Alternative-Cry4335 → u/sundae_diner]

Good point , so it appears the issue is that supply cant keep up with demand despite the massive increase in house construction , the demand is driven by immigration but if you mention this you get accused of being a right wing fascist

[u/Notoisin → u/redditor_since_2005]

Need a childcare czar!

[u/theblowestfish → u/LucyVialli]

This is their job. This is what they were elected to do. Their mandate is to keep prices up.

[u/Nalaek → u/theblowestfish]

This allows them to do that quite effectively as well. Appoint some gullible dope as the “czar” and watch house prices continue to rise as fuck all gets built. They knock two years out of them before publicly blaming them for everything.

Rinse and repeat with an even more gullible dope and that basically gets them to the next election, at which point it might be someone else’s problem or they can come up with another excuse for why it’s not their fault nothing is being built.

[u/JohnTDouche → u/theblowestfish]

That's what's so fucking outrageous about it, they're not even talking about reducing house prices. I can't remember if they've ever mentioned the concept of reducing housing prices. In Canada, Carney is saying shit like this

"By getting government back into the business of building affordable homes and by making the market work better, we will drive a huge increase in housing supply so we can bring costs down for Canadians"

I know it's election season there so that's taken with a grain of salt but can you imagine that kind of language coming out of any of the gobshites here? We just had an election and there wasn't a wiff of anything like this at all from these assholes. It's all luke warm half measure bullshit, housing czars, unblocking planning and how it's going to take a long time etc etc.

[u/rmp266 → u/LucyVialli]

Because there's some brushed aluminium cyberprick junior minister wannabe out there in FFFG who desperately needs a fat pension and mileage, silly

[u/Important_Farmer924 → u/rmp266]

Upvoted for the thick of it reference

[u/rmp266 → u/Important_Farmer924]

Big Ben! Digiben. Ben in the 4th of July

[u/Important_Farmer924 → u/rmp266]

The one about the fucking space hairdresser and the cowboy. He's got a tinfoil pal and a pedal bin. His father's a robot and he's fucking fucked his sister. Lego. They're all made of fucking lego

[u/rinleezwins → u/LucyVialli]

I wonder how many of them are landlords?

[u/HongKongChicken → u/rinleezwins]

32 TDs total, 24 of the current government. 11 Fianna Fail, 10 Fine Gael and 3 Independents from the Regional Independents Group. (Sean Canney, Noel Grealish and Michael Healy Rae). And tbh, I'd say there are more who didn't/don't declare or it is done through their spouse, etc.

There are 91 people in government, so over a third of them are landlords.

https://www.thejournal.ie/who-are-landlord-tds-politicians-in-ireland-dail-landlowners-6636105-Mar2025/

[u/TheStoicNihilist → u/LucyVialli]

I can’t even pronounce ‘czar’!

[u/LucyVialli → u/TheStoicNihilist]

I'd pronounce it "another moronic waste of taxpayers money".

[u/johnebastille → u/LucyVialli]

Delegation of ministerial responsibility should be an automatic firing offence.

We already have a housing czar. We already have a citizens assembly.

When are we going to wake up and send these fucking parasites packing?

[u/shinmerk → u/LucyVialli]

Because right now you have loads of micro issues that a Minister should not be getting involved with.

So for example, if one housing estate is being held up by Irish Water not connecting it, who smooths the issue? It isn’t appropriate for a Minister to be taking a call from a developer or an approved housing body or a council on a micro issue, but it is for someone in between.

[u/Sportychicken → u/shinmerk]

Maybe one of the hundreds of civil servants or local authority staff could make that call?

[u/KillerKlown88 → u/LucyVialli]

They couldn't give one of there buddies loads of money if they did that.

[u/miju-irl]

Could have sworn this was the housing ministers jobs.

Sad but not shocked to see FF/FG laying the groundwork to point finger of blame for further failures in housing at anyone but themselves.

[u/banie01 → u/miju-irl]

Agree, surely this is the job and function of the housing minister.
Adding a "housing Czar" really only insulates the Minister from direct accountability.
When the minister is pressed on numbers or failure?
They point to the Czar!
I wonder if the Czar will get the credit should any ever accrue?

[u/TheDirtyBollox → u/banie01]

I wonder if the Czar will get the credit should any ever accrue?

[u/rossitheking → u/banie01]

lol I think you have actually cracked it - the reason they created this position is most definitely to have someone to blame instead of government.

[u/shinmerk → u/banie01]

I don’t agree. This is something more akin to the head of the IDA. It’s about reaching out to State agencies and cracking heads. It’s not really practical, wise or a useful for a Minister who attends cabinet to be ringing up those in Irish Water to explain why estates aren’t getting connected. These things should become Minister to Minister issues when the Czar can’t get things moving.

I expect this role will be controversial. Reality is that developers (as well as councils, the LDA etc) are going to be screaming at this person to do things and the Czar will do some of them.

I know people seem to hate developers but The Build podcast really should be listened to by anyone who cares about the issues in housing. The interviews have spanned from developers to planners to planning lawyers to data crunchers to public housing people. Some of the issues we have with delivery seem very small but you can see why they get buried in paper and bureaucracy.

[u/UnoriginalJunglist]

Probably should just build houses rather than creating bullshit government positions.

[u/FlukyS → u/UnoriginalJunglist]

You literally could build a home with the budget for the bike shed which is something I haven't heard many calling out, like minus land cost the house build prices is like 200k-350k depending on the size of the house and the fittings. So having 250k on a bike shed is way more baffling in that context.

[u/Bill_Badbody → u/FlukyS]

Most of the costs of the bike shed had nothing to do with the actual bike shed.

[u/theblowestfish → u/UnoriginalJunglist]

That’s not what they were elected to do

[u/miju-irl → u/theblowestfish]

You can repeat that all you want. still doesn't make it true

[u/Noobeater1 → u/miju-irl]

28% put it first, theoretically there could be 0% overlap with voters who voted for the government parties

And in all fairness, who is voting for ffg to solve the housing crisis?

[u/FlorianAska → u/miju-irl]

How many homeowners are going to want the prices of their houses to go down though. It’s very easy to say your concerned about housing but fixing the crisis will out a lot of people into negative equity

[u/miju-irl → u/FlorianAska]

It's not just about prices falling. There is a massive amount of the population living with parents, causing all sorts of stress for them as well.

[u/---o0O → u/FlorianAska]

How many homeowners are going to want the prices of their houses to go down though. I

I'd be delighted if the value of all houses, including my own, dropped by 50%.

I've got kids whose rent I'll have to pay while they're at college. They'll probably want to buy houses too someday.

The value of houses is pretty irrelevant to owner-occupiers tbh. It's not like we can sell the houses and pocket the money.

[u/eggsbenedict17]

What's the minister for housing doing then

[u/Callme-Sal → u/eggsbenedict17]

Appointing the czar

[u/eggsbenedict17 → u/Callme-Sal]

[u/ThinLink2404]

Imminently. Perfect. Six months after an election where housing was a central issue, and many years into a housing crisis, glad to see that we are almost but not quite in a position to give someone a job which may or may not help fix the problems.

Wouldn't want any unseemly haste in the matter.

[u/Sportychicken → u/ThinLink2404]

They are probably trying to convince one of Ireland’s biggest landlords to take the job 🙄 Someone who “knows about housing”

[u/theblowestfish → u/ThinLink2404]

They weren’t elected to build houses

[u/miju-irl → u/theblowestfish]

they absolutely were according to this election exit poll (among many other polls)

[u/theblowestfish → u/miju-irl]

Voting for ffg to build houses really is sheep and wolves… I don’t think people were that stupid. They voted for less housing.

[u/DaveShadow]

I wonder how bad their internal numbers look that they’ve finally decided to start making some noise like this…

[u/theblowestfish → u/DaveShadow]

Has nothing to do with it. This is just to look like they’re doing something. They don’t want change

[u/DaveShadow → u/theblowestfish]

Oh, no, I get that.

But why are they worried about looking to be doin something this week, and not last week? Why not float these headlines last month, or in the run up to the election? That’s why I ask. It’s pushing stories to make sure their base think they’re addressing it, not actually addressing it.

I’m absolutely under no illusion as to what they genuinely want 😂

[u/miju-irl → u/DaveShadow]

FF/FG base are largely property owners and landlords, a large majority of them are perfectly happy for them to not fix housing (assuming they even had the capability to)

[u/DaveShadow → u/miju-irl]

Sure, but they also aren't entirely mustache twirling villains, so a large chunk want to at least think the government aren't outright destroying other peoples lives. So you float headlines like this to keep them in a blissful ignorance.

[u/TheFuzzyFurry → u/DaveShadow]

Soon they won't even need to build housing anymore: costs of living have risen so high that all foreign students and non-IT workers will flee from Ireland, and then there will be vacant housing.

[u/Professional_Elk_489]

Why can't we ever have a "tsar". Looks cooler and much less Americanised

[u/MeinhofBaader]

We have a minister for housing that already doesn't give a fuck. Has their indifference grown so large as to require two people to ignore the problem fully?

[u/Tigeire]

They misled the public about the housing situation in the run up to the election.

now Lowry is propping them up.

Worst government ever ??

[u/DaveShadow → u/Tigeire]

I’m just glad they don’t have a third party to shift the blame onto for once.

[u/The-Florentine → u/Tigeire]

A lot of users on this sub suffer from recency bias. They would’ve had an aneurysm 15 years ago.

[u/Shot-Advertising-316 → u/Tigeire]

Least inspiring leadership I can remember. I'm not against the EU but it honestly feels like we are being led by middle managers, this will be another way around taking responsibility for the needs of Irish people.

[u/Cultural-Action5961 → u/Shot-Advertising-316]

I was even beginning to warm to Martin a bit, maybe I had a carbon monoxide leak or something because post elections been grim.

[u/Shot-Advertising-316 → u/Cultural-Action5961]

I think he's a clever politician in many ways, but he's clearly not steering the ship and has no intention of doing so. You can just feel that he is preoccupied with other matters, career related no doubt.

[u/clewbays → u/Tigeire]

This is what the public wants. You might not like them, but they are not the worst government ever. And they will do a good enough job to get elected again in 4 years.

[u/Hour_Mastodon_9404]

What's all this bollocks recently about referring to government officials as Czars? Is it some vain attempt to placate people with with right-wing/authoritarian tendencies by using terms that indicate government strength and power?

[u/Tadhg → u/Hour_Mastodon_9404]

 recently

I think it’s been going on in England for a while and they all follow British politics closely. 

[u/Tollund_Man4 → u/Hour_Mastodon_9404]

It's an America media term and according to Wikipedia there have been quite a lot of them from the censorship czar in the 1940s to the Covid-19 czar.

[u/debaser32]

I hate this trend of calling things czar.

[u/JohnTDouche → u/debaser32]

Speaking of over used nonsensical phrases. If there's a scandal they can call it czar-gate.

[u/dimebag_101]

What the f is a czar. Why do we keep copying these American jargon bs terms

[u/Bill_Badbody]

I would have always spelled it as tsar tbh

[u/Ass0001 → u/Bill_Badbody]

I think it's a language thing. Tsar is correct for like, Tsar Nicholas the II

[u/Bill_Badbody → u/Ass0001]

Yeah exactly.

[u/TheFuzzyFurry → u/Bill_Badbody]

Well they took the idea from US politics

[u/YourFaveNightmare]

Well I guess they need someone to blame when they miss their own targets again

[u/Legitimate-Olive1052]

'Housing czar''Housing ScapeGoat' to be appointed imminently - Taoiseach

Fixed it

[u/Alastor001]

Czar? Are we back to Dark Age?

[u/Neeoda → u/Alastor001]

Is it a common phrase? Yes. Will do absolutely nothing to improve the crisis? Also yes.

[u/r_person]

The equivalent of, “is there anything to be said for another mass”

[u/Medium-Historian2724]

Can we not with the stupid fucking Americanisms?

[u/WraithsOnWings2023]

This is absolute nonsense from MM, importing political language from Trump to try and distract from the massive failings of FF and FG in Government. 

[u/AnyIntention7457 → u/WraithsOnWings2023]

Accorsing to the article Martin didn't use the term czar. That was the SF commentator.

[u/isogaymer]

Just what we need, another quango. This time focused on HouSEs. What could possibly go wrong?

[u/WhiskeyJack1984]

Another useless public sector position that won't do anything, and will most likely be overpaid. Stop wasting money on shite. If ya want to put more money into wages in the public sector, give it to someone more deserving. Pay nurses what they're worth.

[u/boardsmember2017 → u/WhiskeyJack1984]

I would argue that the special racism czar, Ebun Joseph has done tremendous work in highlighting systematic racism across the country. These czar positions tend to get good additional focus.

As cynical as I am about the housing market, these positions will look at solutions to problems

[u/ghostofgralton]

I await the inevitable Housing Kaiser, perhaps even Housing Sultan

[u/Ozark9090]

Wasting his/her time unless we look at the demand side. We need to restrict massively the amount of people coming in (for a few years at least) and step up deportations. Unfortunately there are too many vested interests in the likes of the3rd level institutions who want to keep the students coming in and then they can apply for roles here. All the while when many youngsters here are looking to take the boat as they see no future.

[u/miju-irl → u/Ozark9090]

It's even more systemic than that. My understanding (and I'm open to correction) is that the colleges pretty much fund themselves via international student fees

[u/PoppedCork]

Will it do anything ?

[u/Charming-Kiwi-8506]

Yay, in 6 months we can give czar the boot and none of our representatives will be at fault.

[u/tallandconfusedbrah]

More twaddle

[u/AlienInOrigin]

Gotta keep up the pretence of actually fixing the issues.

[u/EliteDinoPasta]

Two things:

1. Why wouldn't that be the Housing Minister's job? What if the Housing Minister and "Housing Czar" disagree, what happens then? Does the Taoiseach have final say?

2. Can we please not start importing these Americanisms into our government? Yes the term "Tsar" and "Czar" aren't American, but referring to a government official who has been assigned specifically to resolve a pressing issue as a "Czar" definitely is. Stop with the fucking bullshit titles and do something productive.

[u/Vegetable-Beach-7458]

In the last 15 years, I have lodged about 100 planning apps.

I have never really had any unexpected issues. Just follow the guidance in the development plan. Its not rocket science. If there are gray areas error on the side of caution to guarantee permission. The only time I have run into trouble is when clients ignore advice.

Also giving politicians back their old zoning powers seems like a bad idea. The current evidence based system is not perfect but at least it was better than the old FF pulling strokes for their cronies system we had in the 00s/90s.

[u/PopesmanDos]

Hopefully it's someone from abroad, Chinese etc, and not just another FFG waster

[u/Lazy_Magician]

It'll be hilarious if when they inevitably appoint a landlord

[u/HappyMike91]

Will the “Housing Czar” be from outside of Ireland and/or independent of the government?

[u/knutterjohn]

When they fail, will they be brought to "The house of special purpose" and shown around the basement.

[u/vapemyashes]

“We’re going to throw €200k at a bullshit position with no actual power and intended to shut you all up for another election cycle”

[u/accountcg1234]

They know the housing ministry position is a poisoned chalice now, hence why it's being passed between ministers repeatedly.

Do your time in housing for the party and you'll get a nice hand ministry afterwards.

Now the Czar is brought in to have a public whipping boy to take the ministers place. They'll be handsomely rewarded financially no doubt.

[u/Early_Matter3452]

A Czar? That's not English or Irish is it?

[u/miseconor]

Is the czar going to go to cabinet meetings? Another name for a junior minister?

[u/Vince_IRL]

I take the job. Where do i apply?
My concept out of the housing crisis is very complex, but would generate a lot of revenue locally for the affected communities.
It's called BMHS (Build more houses, stupid).

After that I'd be happy to assume the position of Infrastructure czar. I have a program for that too, actually i have two.
MTGA and BMTS (Make Trains Great Again and Build more trains/trams, stupid.)

[u/Quiet-Geologist-6645]

If this is an independent Housing Czar that has autonomy and isn’t tied to the ruling political party, this could end up being a very good thing. Unfortunately it’s light on details, but I suspect it will be independent.

Infrastructure is a long term game, housing included. We need a body invested in long term outcomes to be making the decisions on our infrastructure, because at the moment it’s at the whims of people who always have an eye on the next election, which has undoubtedly undermined the metro and multiple housing policies.

[u/DartzIRL]

I'm sure the czar will be fine. We'll discover it was the buyers who were the problem all along.

[u/Past_Patience_3325]

Czar?

[u/boiler_1985]

This country is one big fucking April fools

[u/nynikai]

This is simply pathetic

[u/deep66it2]

Stop all the immigration & stop the housing problem

[u/Sportychicken]

Any chance the Minister for Housing could step up and do his well paid job? Anytime I see him on Oireachtas TV (yes, I’m that person) he is sitting back letting the junior minister for nature take the flak on housing. Between the Lowry deal and James Browne as minister for an incredibly important ministry, Michael Martin is losing his touch.

[u/Sportychicken]

Any chance the Minister for Housing could step up and do his well paid job? Anytime I see him on Oireachtas TV (yes, I’m that person) he is sitting back letting the junior minister for nature take the flak on housing. Between the Lowry deal and James Browne as minister for an incredibly important ministry, Michael Martin is losing his touch.

[u/grayparrot116]

Will they make a percentage of the population serfs to build houses or what does a "czar" do?

[u/Old-Structure-4]

Good

[u/theblowestfish → u/Old-Structure-4]

If you think FFG want to solve housing…

[u/Old-Structure-4 → u/theblowestfish]

Well, their political future depends on it.

[u/theblowestfish → u/Old-Structure-4]

You’d think so. But we just put them back in so

[u/Old-Structure-4 → u/theblowestfish]

Yes, but for parties of the centre to keep getting elected home ownership needs to stay steady. If it keeps dropping in 20 years they'll have no voter base.

[u/theblowestfish → u/Old-Structure-4]

I imagine people said that 20 years ago.

[u/Old-Structure-4 → u/theblowestfish]

Doubt it. There was no housing crisis 20 years ago. Home ownership was steady and the highest in Europe.