A memo to establish a new Strategic Housing Activation Office will go to the Cabinet this morning.
However, the anticipated appointment of NAMA boss Brendan McDonagh to head up the new agency may not be finalised today.
Government sources have indicated that issues around the setting up of the office will have to be “teased out” further in the days ahead.
The matter could be discussed again at the Cabinet Committee on Housing, which meets on Thursday.
Taoiseach Micheál Martin has said he understands the public concern about a possible salary of €430,000 for the head of the unit that is aiming to speed up the construction of homes.
He said the office would be a strategic one to focus exclusively on moving roadblocks that are preventing the delivery of homes.
Social Democrats TD Rory Hearne has written to Minister for Housing James Browne to express concern over the proposed appointment of Mr McDonagh as the Government’s new housing ‘czar’.
Deputy Hearne said he had reminded the minister that Mr McDonagh’s main role in NAMA was overseeing the fire sale of assets and this resulted in the eviction of thousands of people into homelessness through its receivers arranging vacant possession for the sale of rental properties.
“How is it appropriate that an individual who played a key role in adding to the housing crisis is now to be given responsibility for fixing it?
“In addition, at a time when the Government is postponing the introduction of a living wage, it is outrageous that it should create a gold-plated position with a salary package worth almost half a million euro,” he said.
Independent Ireland TD Ken O’Flynn said the appointment of the former CEO of NAMA as the head of the Housing Activation Office, amounts to nothing more than a deflection from a far more urgent debate on the main barriers to housing delivery.
The TD for Cork North-Central also fears the Housing Activation Office will have an an over-emphasis on foreign investment and vulture funds in the Irish housing market.
Article Source – Cabinet to consider memo on new Housing Activation Office – RTE
