Housing

Our vision is a future where every person in Ireland (both the Republic and Northern Ireland), Scotland and Wales can live in safe, affordable, and sustainable homes. To achieve this, we must confront the pressing realities each nation faces today and adopt bold, coordinated policies that respect local contexts while sharing best‑practice solutions across the island.

1. Address the Massive Under supply of Homes

Across the three nations, the gap between housing need and delivery is widening. In Ireland the deficit is estimated at 212 500–256 000 homes, and the shortage is projected to grow by another 21 000 homes between 2025‑2030 . Scotland’s affordable‑housing programme aims for 110 000 homes by 2032, yet only 21 092 have been completed so far . Wales is still less than halfway to its target of 20 000 low‑carbon social homes for rent between 2021‑2026.

Policy response:

• Launch a Celtic Housing Initiative that commits to building at least 150 000 new affordable homes across the three jurisdictions over the next decade, with a minimum of 30 % dedicated to social rent.
• Establish a cross‑border housing fund financed jointly by the Irish, Scottish and Welsh governments, supplemented by progressive taxation on luxury property transactions and vacant‑home holdings.

2. Strengthen Tenancy Protections and Control Rents

Tenants in all three nations are bearing ever‑higher rents. In Scotland, private renters face “increasingly unaffordable rents and poor conditions”, while homelessness rose 45 % between 2020‑2024. In Wales, rental prices grew 7.9 % in 2024 after years of stagnation.

Policy response:

• Introduce regional rent‑control frameworks that cap annual rent increases to inflation plus 2 %, with stronger safeguards for low‑income households.
• Expand secure tenancy rights to give renters a minimum five‑year guarantee before any eviction can be pursued, mirroring successful models in the Republic of Ireland.

3. Make Vacant Properties Work for Communities

Ireland’s Vacant Homes Tax has been raised but suffers from identification and enforcement challenges. Similar under‑utilized assets exist in Scotland and Wales, where empty homes and second‑homes exacerbate scarcity.

Policy response:

• Create a Celtic Land Registry that shares data on vacant properties, enabling rapid identification and fair taxation.
• Channel revenues from the tax into the Celtic Housing Initiative, earmarking funds for community‑owned housing cooperatives and affordable‑rent schemes.

4. Prioritize Sustainable, Low‑Carbon Building

Climate‑responsible construction is essential. In Wales, the target homes are specifically low‑carbon social homes, and Scotland’s building costs have risen sharply, with a three‑bedroom house costing £271,140 on average.

Policy response:

• Mandate net‑zero building standards for all publicly funded housing projects.
• Offer tax credits and grants to developers who adopt modular, timber‑frame or other low‑embodied‑carbon techniques, helping to curb the high construction costs that currently hinder delivery.

5. Boost Support for First‑Time Buyers and Young People

Young adults in Ireland are two‑thirds living with parents because rents are unaffordable. In Wales, the average deposit needed is around £50 000, far beyond many first‑time earners.

Policy response:

• Implement a shared‑equity scheme where the state co‑owns 25 % of a new home, reducing the upfront cash burden.
• Provide interest‑free loans for deposits, repayable only when the property is sold, modeled on successful programs in the Republic of Ireland.

6. Streamline Planning and Empower Local Authorities

Planning bottlenecks delay delivery. In Wales, resource constraints in local planning authorities and a plan‑led system slow housing delivery. Scotland faces similar delays, with budget cuts to social‑housing programmes limiting new builds.

Policy response:

• Grant fast‑track planning permissions for projects that meet affordability, sustainability and community‑benefit criteria.
• Allocate additional capital funding to local authorities—Wales already earmarked £437 million for affordable housing in 2025‑26—and replicate this commitment across the island.

7. Tackle Homelessness as a Public‑Health Emergency

Both Ireland and Scotland see rising homelessness linked to housing insecurity. Research in Scotland shows that stable social homes improve health outcomes and reduce poverty.

Policy response:

• Guarantee immediate access to emergency shelters and fast‑track transition into permanent social housing.
• Integrate housing‑first approaches with health and social services, ensuring that every person experiencing homelessness receives coordinated support.

8. Foster Celtic Collaboration and Shared Learning

Housing markets differ, but the challenges are common. By sharing data, best practices and financing mechanisms, the three nations can accelerate progress and avoid duplicated effort.

Policy response:

• Establish a Celtic Housing Council with representatives from each parliament, tasked with monitoring targets, publishing joint progress reports, and coordinating cross‑border initiatives.

 9 – Indigenous‑Priority Housing Quota System

Lack of housing for Indigenous population causing locals to move out.

Policy Response:

A 30 % (up‑to 50 % where demand warrants) of every publicly‑funded or incentive‑linked new‑build home in each borough is reserved for members of the recognized indigenous communities of Ireland, Scotland and Wales.

• Registration: Indigenous applicants must enroll on a borough‑maintained “quota roll” during a six‑month window, providing proof of indigenous status and local residence.
• Prioritization: Allocation order is based on household size, current housing condition and length of residence in the borough.
• Allocation: Offers are made sequentially from the roll; accepted offers require a deposit within 14 days. Unclaimed units revert to the open market.
• Funding Tie‑in: Developments meeting the baseline quota qualify for extra planning points, reduced development fees, or direct grant funding from the Celtic Housing Initiative.
• Oversight: Annual independent audits report on quota utilization; the policy is reviewed every five years by a joint Irish‑Scottish‑Welsh housing committee.

This policy ensures that indigenous peoples receive first‑right to purchase new homes while maintaining overall housing supply goals.

10 – Salary‑Linked Pricing & Mandatory Quota Listing for Resale 

Indigenous young unable to get onto property ladder as high house prices are driven by non locals. 

Policy response:Indigenous young unable to get onto property ladder as high house prices are driven by non locals. 

1. Salary‑indexed price ceiling – When a residential property is put up for sale by a non‑indigenous (“settler”) owner, the asking price will not exceed the median annual disposable income of the relevant Celtic nation (Ireland, Scotland or Wales) multiplied by a price‑to‑salary factor of 5 (the same affordability threshold used in recent UK housing‑affordability analyses). This keeps home prices broadly in line with local earnings and prevents imported “England‑level” price spikes.

2. Mandatory pre‑sale quota listing – Before a property can be marketed on the open market, the seller must first list the home on the borough’s Indigenous‑Priority Housing Quota System (Policy 9). The property is offered to eligible indigenous applicants at the salary‑indexed ceiling price.

3. Seller’s right of first refusal – If no qualified indigenous buyer accepts the quota‑listing within a 180‑day window, the seller may then list the property on the open market at any price, provided the initial quota offer is documented and the price ceiling is respected during the quota period.

4. Enforcement & penalties – Borough housing officers will audit recent sales. Sellers who bypass the quota listing or exceed the salary‑linked ceiling without justification will be subject to a penalty equal to 10 % of the excess amount and may face a temporary suspension of planning‑permission benefits for future developments.

5. Review mechanism – The salary‑to‑price factor and ceiling calculation are reviewed biennially by the joint Celtic Housing Committee to reflect changes in median wages and cost‑of‑living indices across the three nations.

Goal: Align housing costs with local purchasing power, protect indigenous home‑ownership opportunities, and curb speculative price inflations driven by external market forces.

Our manifesto commits to massive, sustainable, and equitable housing construction, strong tenant protections, effective use of vacant assets, and coordinated Celtic action. By confronting the current crises head‑on and investing boldly in the future, we can ensure that every citizen—from Dublin to Glasgow, Belfast to Cardiff—has a home they can afford, trust, and be proud of.