‘Inane’ and ‘factually incorrect’: Sinn Féin and Fianna Fáil trade accusations on housing policy

Sinn Féin and Fianna Fáil have traded accusations on housing policy in a terse exchange of letters ahead of a televised debate on the area on Monday night.
Minister for Housing Darragh O’Brien wrote to Sinn Féin’s housing spokesman Eoin Ó Broin on Tuesday taking aim at the party’s key affordable housing policy – which it says could unlock thousands of affordable units by retaining the ownership of land under the home for the state.
In his letter – which Mr Ó Broin said was “inane” in a response circulated to reporters on Monday night – Mr O’Brien accused Sinn Féin of putting out “factually incorrect” statements on whether banks would lend to borrowers for mortgages under the scheme.
Mr O’Brien, the Fingal TD who is running in the new Fingal East in the general election campaign, targeted statements by Mr Ó Broin and his party leader Mary Lou McDonald, who offered assurances that the banks would lend under the scheme.
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Mr O’Brien claimed that the Banking and Payments Federation of Ireland has “not said yes” to the Sinn Féin scheme “and detailed major issues around ‘good marketable title’ and leasing that have to be resolved for a bank to lend a mortgage.”
“This remains their clear position. In light of this I am asking you to withdraw and clarify those comments,” he wrote.
In a strongly-worded response, Mr Ó Broin castiaged the Fianna Fáil TDs record as minister for housing, saying he has “presided over an ever-deepening housing and homelessness crisis,” saying that on his watch, house prices and rents have reached record highs.
“The number of adults, single people, families, children, and pensioners experiencing homelessness has reached levels never imagined possible. You have missed every single one of your social and affordable housing targets as well as your first home and derelict refurbishment grant targets.”
He said “vague” promises in the Fianna Fáil manifesto added “insult to injury”, saying: “What all of this tells me is that Fianna Fáil cannot be trusted on housing.”
“I would respectfully suggest that rather than wasting your staffs time sending me these inane letters, you should focus on your job and try and undo some of the damage that you have caused to our housing system since becoming Minister,” he said.