McGuiness tells GAA President housing in rural Ireland being kicked to the sideline

The housing crisis is not just an urban issue but is tearing the heart out of rural Ireland.

That was the messaged conveyed by Waterford, Sinn Féin TD, Deputy Conor McGuiness when he met with GAA President, Jarlath Burns, in Croke Park recently.

Deputy McGuinness, who is his party’s spokesperson on Rural Affairs, met with the head of the GAA to discuss the demographic crisis facing rural parishes, the housing pressures driving young people out of their communities and the critical role of the GAA in highlighting the threat to local life.

“Rural Ireland is being hollowed out,” said McGuinness.

“Young people are being priced out or locked out [and] they’re being pushed into the cities or, more often than not, forced abroad,” he added.

In the wake of his meeting in Croke Park, Deputy McGuinness said GAA county boards are raising the alarm with some appointing demographic officers to respond to youth depopulation.

“That tells you everything about the scale of this crisis,” he said.

Deputy McGuinness also raised the issue directly with the Taoiseach on the floor of the Dáil, challenging the Government on what he said was its failure to deliver affordable and social housing in rural areas.

“The Taoiseach refuses to acknowledge what’s happening,” he said.

“Local authority CEOs are telling his Government that the affordable serviced sites scheme isn’t working,” he added.

He went on to comment: “In many towns and villages, no social home has been built in 30 years. There is no rural housing strategy, no ambition, no delivery.” 

McGuinness also criticised the Government’s National Planning Framework, which he described as “a blueprint for urban sprawl and rural decline”.

“The planning framework that Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil forced through this House actively promotes urban concentration at the expense of rural sustainability,” he said.

“It’s fuelling housing pressure in cities while draining people and investment from rural areas,” he added.

He also highlighted the absence of any real housing focus in the Government’s ‘Our Rural Future’, strategy.

“It’s a big document that says next to nothing about housing,” he said.

“There are no targets, no timelines [and] no delivery mechanisms,” he added, before commenting: “That’s not a strategy – it’s a cop out.” 

McGuinness reaffirmed Sinn Féin’s call for a rural housing strategy that meets the real needs of communities, including serviced sites, affordable purchase schemes, and investment in social housing in rural towns and villages.

“This is not just about houses,” he said.

“It’s about people, parishes, clubs and communities,” he added.

“It’s about safeguarding the future of rural Ireland. If this Government won’t act, then it’s time for a new one that will.”