Eoin Ó Broin (Dublin Mid West, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I thank Mr. Sweetman and Ms Naughton for their presentations. Regarding the CPOs, much of the discussion we have been having is less to do with land and more to do with the compulsory purchase of vacant units that are not on the market or the use of CPOs to buy packages of mortgages that have been sold on to funds, or whatever we call them, at a discount. There is a question of whether a CPO could be used to purchase them at that discount price rather than at the market value. I am interested to hear Mr. Sweetman's thoughts on that.

Many of Mr. Sweetman's comments were based on a number of assumptions. For example, he had some pretty clear assumptions of the non-existence of land hoarding. Are there data on that or is it anecdotal and professional experience that leads him to say that?

I ask the same question about it being too expensive to build. This is a hot topic in this committee and it is not clear. I am certainly not aware of anybody presenting data, although the Society of Chartered Surveyors Ireland is releasing a report tomorrow. Is Mr. Sweetman aware of data on that issue? The Central Bank restrictions only kick in for first-time buyers for prices over €220,000. Are there data that shows the restrictions are causing difficulties?

We have a higher percentage of private home owners than almost all of our EU counterparts. Many of those other EU member states have ways of managing the impact of private rental accommodation on pensioners when they reach pension age without having a pensions time bomb. I wonder if Mr. Sweetman has factored that into his considerations and whether he has thoughts on it.

I am familiar with most of the issues Ms Naughton spoke about. They are probably issues for the new Oireachtas housing committee because they relate to more broad-ranging reviews. I think any of us who will be on that committee will raise them there.

I have two questions for Ms Naughton. Is she saying people who are habitual residence condition, HRC, compliant are being refused access to social housing lists on nationality grounds? That is in regard to her opening statement. If that is the case, that is very concerning. I know there are issues around people who are not HRC compliant but I am interested in that.

I come from South Dublin County Council, which allows housing applicants on to the two-bedroom list when they have part custody of a child. The ministerial guidance on this is very clear. Is this a case of the allocations policy of, for example, Dublin City Council needing to be changed by the councillors or is Ms Naughton suggesting that there needs to be much firmer legal guidance from the Department or from the Oireachtas centrally?