Verona Murphy argued that state land should be used so ordinary families can buy houses built at cost rather than selling sites to private developers. She criticised private developers for "creaming off" profits, cited high servicing and build costs and called for not-for-profit agencies and local authorities to build.
Plan for state land
Murphy said people should be able to buy homes built on state land at cost instead of the state selling land to private developers. She referenced modular building as an existing format but said the state has not fully implemented that approach.
Cost examples cited
She said it costs €290,000 to service each site and referenced modular builds at around €400,000. Murphy noted local market prices, saying that in Wexford there is not a single new build under €360,000 and questioned claims that houses could be delivered for €260,000.
Critique of current approach
Murphy accused the government of selling land to private developers who "are creaming off" their profit. She also criticised the Land Development Agency for using state land but still allowing private developers to build rather than commissioning not-for-profit builders.
Alternative builders and urgency
She urged the state to enable not-for-profit agencies and local authorities to deliver homes to avoid private profiteering. Murphy acknowledged establishing that framework "would take probably 10 years" but stressed "we are in a crisis," arguing for more immediate solutions.
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that people in Ireland should be able, instead of selling that off to developers, normal families should be able to buy houses built on that land at cost. So that's a big part of the plan. I think if you look at that, we've already carried out that format, you could say, with modular building, and it costs 400 and 400. Well, we haven't really. Really, the state has quite systematically Well, that was state land. It costs 290,000 euros to service each site. The private businesses have been doing the majority of house building in Ireland, and we wanted to make a state for that. Sorry, Patricia, did you say 360,000 euros outside Dublin for 200? Well, in Wexford currently, we haven't got one new build less than 360,000, which actually excludes Wexford, any person in Wexford from the first whole scheme. So how is it possible, Patricia, if there can't be one new build for 260,000, that you can do it? Absolutely, yeah, yeah, for sure. Because the government, what they're doing, so they're selling the land to private developers, and the private developers are creaming off, you know, they're creaming off their profit. We don't believe that that should be the way that that needs to be done. I mean, the land development agency is using state land, and they're still not managing to do that. Which was the modular builds for 404. They're not using not-for-profit agencies. They're allowing developers to build. We want not-for-profit agencies, local authorities to be able to build. With all due respect, Patricia, it would take probably 10 years to put that in place. We are in a crisis.
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