Govt's handling of housing czar appointment 'a shambles'
Sinn Féin's housing spokesperson Eoin O'Broin has described the Government's handling of the appointment of a housing czar as a "shambles" and said "no one" believes a potential €430,000 a year salary was never discussed.
The opposition TD was speaking on RTÉ's Today with Aine Kerr during which Fine Gael Minister of State Jerry Buttimer rejected reports of a "row" in Government over the controversy.
Asked about the decision on Thursday by NAMA chief executive Brendan McDonagh to say he no longer wants to be considered for the role, Deputy O'Broin said "it's a shambles".
He said given "only one candidate was being considered by Fianna Fáil", and that this was Mr McDonagh, he said he believes Fine Gael's Minister for Finance Paschal Donohoe "would have been in the loop" as he is NAMA's line minister.
Deputy O'Broin said "I don't believe for a second, and I don't believe anyone who's followed this story credibly believes" that when Mr McDonagh's name was brought up that his existing salary of €430,000 was not discussed.
While the Government has insisted no conversations involving a salary for the potential new role took place, Deputy O'Broin said asking people to believe that position "insults the public", before adding: "If you ever wanted confirmation of the absolute shambles [of housing policy], it's not just the past week it's the past six weeks."
Responding to the claims on the same programme, Minister Buttimer said that while "it's great for the media to see it [the new unit and potential appointment] revved up to a row" at Cabinet, he insisted "it's not".
Minister Buttimer said while "personally I thought it [the reported potential salary] was a big high", in his view the Housing Activation Office is "the important thing" and that it is "imperative and important to increase supply, build more homes and give people what they want - a home of their own".
Asked if trust has been "broken" between Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael after several sources in both parties appeared to brief against each other on the issue, Minister Buttimer said: "I know the media love to dramatise and have a row between people, but it's about delivery [of houses].
"We can debate all we want, and it's very sexy and gets the headlines, but for the people who want to get their own home it doesn't help."
Speaking on the same programme, Green Party leader Roderic O Gorman said: "I think the Government has been in absolute panic mode on housing" since a previous row over projected housing completion figures for this year.
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