The Congress-Senate Joint Committee on Insularity has approved a non-legislative proposal that urges the Government to resume the project to build housing for civil servants on the site of the former police station in Ibiza. This initiative seeks to alleviate the difficulty faced by public workers stationed on the island to find affordable housing. The PSOE presented the proposal with the initial objective of allocating this housing to agents of the National Police. However, after accepting an amendment by Senator Juanjo Ferrer, the measure was extended to include officials of all security forces and corps and personnel of the General State Administration. This extension responds to the need to address a housing problem that affects different sectors of the civil service on the island. The approved text also urges the Government to draw up an action schedule that includes both the drafting of the project and its execution “in the shortest possible time”. However, no specific budgetary commitment was included, which generated criticism from some sectors of the opposition.
Reactions and conflicting positions
The initiative was approved with 16 votes in favor, none against and 19 abstentions, including those of the Popular Party and Vox. From the PP, Senator Miguel Ángel Jerez described the measure as insufficient, pointing out that without a specific budget allocation in the General State Budget for 2025, the project could remain up in the air. . “Es una promesa que carece de garantías, lo que la convierte en humo si no se asegura la financiación”, apuntó Jerez. Por su parte, la diputada socialista Milena Herrera defendió la urgencia de reactivar este plan, recordando que muchos funcionarios que obtienen plaza en Ibiza se ven obligados a rechazarla debido a la falta de opciones de vivienda en condiciones accesibles. “Es un paso necesario para garantizar que el personal del Estado pueda ejercer sus funciones en la isla sin que el alojamiento sea un impedimento insalvable”, afirmó.
A debate without full consensus
Although the proposal had the support of the parties backing the government, it did not achieve consensus on key aspects such as the inclusion of a specific budget or a detailed timetable. The PP also proposed an amendment suggesting the inclusion of funds in the budget and an increase in compensation for residence, but this was not accepted or voted on. Senator Ferrer, promoter of the accepted amendment, stressed the importance of addressing this problem from a more inclusive approach, but acknowledged that the lack of a specific budget represents a challenge for the materialization of the project.
Next steps and challenges
With the approval of this bill, the government must now work on the operational details to move forward with the construction of these homes. However, skepticism persists due to the absence of concrete financial commitments, which leaves the timing and feasibility of the project in doubt. In a context marked by the housing crisis in Ibiza, the measure represents a partial response that will require concrete actions to move from words to deeds. In the meantime, the lack of affordable housing remains a pressing issue for state officials on the island.
