Mr. John O'Connor:

The main aim of the proposed changes to Part V is to make it clearer and simpler in relation to its implementation. The primary aim is to ensure there is 10% social housing in every development. The Deputy spoke about what was achieved previously. Housing was provided. There were cash payments. There was off-site land. Once that was fully operational, it resulted in an average of 5% of each development being provided for social and affordable housing. Just one in three of those houses was deemed to be social housing. The aim is to ensure we get 10% social housing in each development. It will be possible for that to be provided off-site in exceptional circumstances only, for example, if the local authority does not have a demand in a particular area. Local authorities should be seeking to reach the 10% social housing level in the locations mentioned by the Deputy.

The Deputy also asked about the negotiations. The local authority has the say. If it wishes to acquire housing for social housing purposes, or if it wants to get a voluntary housing body to acquire that housing, it is up to it to negotiate and take that option. She also asked about adding in the long-term leasing or rental of those properties. This would mean that a local authority which does not have the capital funding - if there is an issue in terms of funding the acquisitions - would have the fall-back option of leasing or renting those houses in the long term. I would expect that local authorities should take up the option of acquiring them so that they are owned by local authorities or approved housing bodies. It is a question of trying to get greater certainty with regard to the acquisition of social housing. The cash option and the off-site land option have been removed to try to achieve the main social housing objective.

I agree with the Deputy that the affordability of housing is a huge issue. If we are to try to achieve housing affordability in a broader sense, we need to stimulate housing supply. A large amount of housing supply is needed to ensure housing is generally affordable to everyone and to all households, as opposed to trying to provide a limited number of affordable houses. This will be kept under review. If there is a need to introduce incentives or measures to make housing affordable and support people in buying houses, provisions have been and can be made in that regard. The Deputy spoke about the provision of broader public housing by local authorities. A number of them are actively looking at that. Rather than relying on developers to provide housing, we need to provide public housing. The other issue, which is part of the social housing strategy and the broader 2020 construction strategy, involves looking at cost rental. I refer to the provision by local authorities and voluntary housing bodies of housing that is rented on a broader basis and made affordable for households.