New special committee on Housing Crisis - HOUS constitutive meeting

Two Irish MEPs have been elected as vice chairs of the new European Parliament special committee on housing.

The cost of housing has become a major issue in Ireland and other parts of Europe. So much as that the European Parliament decided it needs special attention.

Since 2015, house prices have risen 69 percent in Ireland. In Portugal and Lithuania prices have more than doubled.

Only Italy has seen housing remain relatively steady in that period, according to data from the European Parliament.

Independent MEP for the Midlands–North-West constituency, Ciaran Mullooly, and Dublin Fine Gael MEP, Regina Doherty, have both been elected vice chair of the new committee.

Regina Doherty said that housing was “probably the largest single issue” in the European, local and general elections in Ireland.

“It’s my honour to work on your behalf over the next 12 months to ensure the Irish position is heard very, very loudly”, she said.

She also said she hopes Ireland can learn good examples on housing from other European member states.

Ciaran Mullooly said he would be making particular recommendations to the committee on homeless people.

“There are 14,000 people homeless in our country at the moment. I will bring recommendation to this committee to try and help people who cannot get a roof over their head”.

European Commission President von der Leyen has promised that housing is a priority for her mandate.

The new European Parliament committee, which will convene for the next 12 months, aims to hold her to account on that.