Mattie McGrath: Backs private builders, blasts €426k Ukrainian homes
Mattie McGrath argued that private developers and the voluntary sector are essential to solve the housing crisis, and criticised opposition to private contractors. He condemned a reported cost of €426,000 per unit for Ukrainian accommodation in Clonmel and raised concerns about possible corruption.
He told colleagues that if private developers are not involved "we're not going to build the houses, full stop," and said past council-led housebuilding in the 1940s and 1950s is gone. He urged moving beyond ideological objections to allow construction to proceed.
He said he is a member of the Council of the Voluntary Housing Association and described it as the proudest thing he was ever involved in, noting the group built 17 houses. He argued that small-scale local voluntary building — for example, every village building ten houses — would significantly address the housing shortage.
He referenced the minister's statement that there were tweets in 13 different languages inviting people to come to Ireland, saying the country cannot "house our own" while such messaging continues. He linked the housing debate to immigration policy and public communications.
He labelled spending of €426,000 per unit for Ukrainian housing in Clonmel a "shocking indictment on the past government" and said the sum "smells very much like corruption." He suggested the scale of payments indicates money being made "behind the scenes."
Argument for private developers
He told colleagues that if private developers are not involved "we're not going to build the houses, full stop," and said past council-led housebuilding in the 1940s and 1950s is gone. He urged moving beyond ideological objections to allow construction to proceed.
Voluntary housing experience
He said he is a member of the Council of the Voluntary Housing Association and described it as the proudest thing he was ever involved in, noting the group built 17 houses. He argued that small-scale local voluntary building — for example, every village building ten houses — would significantly address the housing shortage.
Immigration and official messaging
He referenced the minister's statement that there were tweets in 13 different languages inviting people to come to Ireland, saying the country cannot "house our own" while such messaging continues. He linked the housing debate to immigration policy and public communications.
Cost and corruption concerns
He labelled spending of €426,000 per unit for Ukrainian housing in Clonmel a "shocking indictment on the past government" and said the sum "smells very much like corruption." He suggested the scale of payments indicates money being made "behind the scenes."
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Transcript
I want to wish you well, but look there's a mammoth task. We have to get real here and the idea of the left here is we can't have private contractors. If we don't have private developers involved we're not going to build the houses, full stop. I'd love to hear back in the 40s and 50s when the council had manpower and they built the houses, but that's gone. So we have to get over these ideologies and we have to stop objecting to houses being built and encourage the voluntary sector. I'm a member of the Council of the Voluntary Housing Association. We're the proudest thing I was ever involved in. And we built 17 houses. Not many, but a voluntary committee. But if every village in Hamlet built 10, we'd have the housing crisis. And then if we dealt with immigration, and at least Minister Graham has gone on to his post when he said there were tweets in 13 different languages to invite all and sundry to come into Ireland. We're great. And we can't house our own and we can spend 426,000 per unit for Ukrainians marginal homes in Clonmel. It's a shocking indictment on the past government and hopefully this government will change that. That kind of money. And I worked 100,000 and as someone making a lot of money behind the scenes and it smells very much like corruption.