How Ireland Can Build More Houses
Summary
Ronan Lyons discusses his book *Brittle*, arguing that Ireland’s housing crisis is a structural failure rather than a 2007-style debt bubble. He explains how high construction costs, rigid planning systems, and a lack of viable rental options have left a third of households "blocked" from the market. Lyons proposes solutions including ring-fenced investment funds, clearer planning rules, and a shift away from treating renting as a temporary waiting room for homeownership.
Topics discussed
Introduction and why the crisis isn't a bubble
Defining the 'brittle' housing system
Comparing 2007 debt bubble to current supply shortage
Historical causes: Section 23 reliefs and construction costs
Impact of COVID-19 on Irish construction costs
Viability vs capacity: The cost of break-even homes
The Assisted, Blocked, and Covered household groups
Housing needs beyond the family home lifecycle
Renting as a waiting room and suppressed households
Planning systems: Rulers vs Quarrelers
Apartment resistance and demographic data
Population projections and the risk of overbuilding
Budget analysis and the need for a ring-fenced fund
Housing Commission legacy and empowering voters
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