The Carlow branch of Young Fine Gael has called on the government to set up a citizens’ assembly on planning and to establish a student accommodation rental board to ensure minimum standards for university housing. According to Ben Ward, PRO for the Leinster Regional Council of Young Fine Gael, “Housing is one of the biggest problems of our generation”.

Young Fine Gael has launched a policy document with four specific policies. Apart from the call for a citizens’ assembly to deal with what it terms ‘outdated planning regulations and unnecessary objections’, and the creation of the student accommodation rental board, YFG would like to see taxation eliminated for new builds both for the builder and buyer. It is also calling for tax incentives for energy-efficient homes, which it claims would both incentivise sustainability and reduce costs for building houses.

Mr Ward described the YFG document as “in depth, practical, and effective policies to help combat the housing crisis” and urged the government to support it.

For more information, see the group’s website www.yfg.ie.