The David McWilliams Podcast Could the GAA Solve Ireland’s Housing Crisis?
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Sep 16, 2025 Could cooperative housing be the key to alleviating Ireland's housing crisis? The conversation explores how the GAA could use its community resources to create affordable homes inspired by Denmark's successful model. Discussing the importance of collective ownership and dignity in housing, they highlight the disparity between high costs of traditional homes and more affordable co-op options. Other intriguing topics include political dynamics, Jim Gavin’s presidential aspirations, and the societal impact of homelessness, especially among children.
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Lock Land In Trusts And Allocate For Co-ops
- Use community land trusts to hold co-op land permanently off the speculative market and keep homes affordable long-term.
- Local councils should allocate plots for co-ops to improve their viability against private bidders.
Denmark Shows Legal Change Scales Co-ops
- Denmark converted laws and scaled co-ops so 7% of Danes now live in co-ops, showing legal change can create a large non-speculative housing sector.
- Co-ops provide a stable alternative between private and public housing sectors.
Buy Shares And Pool Borrowing Locally
- Members typically buy a partial share and pay monthly fees that cover collective mortgage and maintenance costs.
- Aim for lower upfront shares and pooled borrowing via local credit unions to reduce individual cost burdens.