Victor Boyhan: Urgent call to update rural housing guidelines
Victor Boyhan welcomed the government's additional measures on living over the shop grants and urged an urgent update of rural housing guidelines. He said current guidelines date from 2005, criticised years of delay on amendments and asked the party leader to convene a dedicated meeting to produce sustainable rural housing guidelines.
Welcome for living over the shop grants
He welcomed clarification and additional measures on living over the shop grants, saying the measures "make absolute sense". He warned that many rural towns, urban towns and villages have "fallen apart" and stressed the architectural and community benefits of bringing vacant upper floors back into use.
Long delay on rural housing guidelines
He highlighted that rural housing guidelines have not been amended since 2005 and described the situation as "unbelievable". He said he holds letters from six ministers who told him a draft was sitting on their desks awaiting final edits, yet no updated guidelines have been published.
Local voices and community impact
He reported hearing Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil TDs, senators and councillors at rural and farm gatherings voice concerns about housing shortages. He said communities are "dying on their feet" and suggested consulting the GAA, parish schools and parishes to assess the impact of population decline.
Demand for a dedicated meeting and concrete action
He asked the party leader to organise a meeting in the new year to review the correspondence, stop promises and produce fit-for-purpose, sustainable rural housing guidelines. His proposal focuses on enabling people to plan for proper rural housing rather than housing everywhere, aiming to restore viability to struggling rural communities.
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Firstly, I'd like to also welcome the government's additional measures in relation to living over the shop grants. There was some clarification on that today. I think it makes absolute sense. All our rural towns and our urban towns and villages mainly have just fallen apart, and it is a shame. And there are particular architectural significance, many of them, and of course the great benefits of that. So I welcome that. But I also want to touch on the issue of rural housing. I have continuously, we have rural housing guidelines since 2005. We are now 2025. It is unbelievable that they have never been amended. I have letters in my office from six ministers who have told me that this was in draft form sitting on their desk waiting to be tidied up. A few dots and a few T's crossed. We're still here all of these years on and with no guidelines. I hear Fine Gael TDs and senators and councillors and Fianna Fáil TDs, senators and councillors, all around the country at gatherings, particularly rural gatherings and farm gatherings, talking about the shame of the need for, they represent communities where people can't get housing. And yet somehow in that process all of this is stalled. And one has to ask the question, what's going on on a Wednesday evening at parliamentary parties? Are people listening to their membership? But I ain't a member of any of them. And what I'm saying here again, Leader, and I've asked you on numerous occasions, that we would have a specific meeting on housing, but particularly in relation to the ability of people to plan for proper, sustainable housing. I'm not talking about housing everywhere. But there are communities in this country that are dying on their feet. You need to talk to the GAA. You can talk to parish schools and parishes themselves and communities. They are falling asunder for the lack of people. We have a real serious issue here if we want the viability of our rural communities. So what I ask you, Leader, is to organise a meeting in the new year where we could look again and let's pull out all the letters, stop the promises and let's produce a rural housing, sustainable rural housing guidelines that are fit for purpose to meet the needs and demands of the people in rural communities today. Thank you.
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