Eoghan Murphy (Dublin Bay South, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Deputies for their questions. Regarding LIHAF 1, the drawdown in 2017 was small because I only approved a number of the projects in the second half of last year but they were already moving to the design stage and so on so there will be a larger drawdown this year. In terms of LIHAF as a tool, it was not an affordability one but we are delivering affordability through it. However, I will be straight with the Deputy. When I looked at LIHAF and saw one of the directives under which it was established or on which local authorities would go about negotiating with landowners, I was not too happy about a cost reduction for individual units. I then spoke to some local authorities and told them to bundle those to have a smaller number of units but a greater reduction in price, and we will do it through an affordable purchase scheme. That is what is happening at the moment but we have to recognise as well that in regard to some sites LIHAF is incredibly complex because we are talking about a number of different landowners and a number of different problems in terms of accessibility and so on.

In regard to LIHAF 2, I am looking at that at the moment. Without trying to say too much because it is still under consideration - I have not made a decision yet - when I look at the €25 million we have for the serviced sites fund, which is a pure affordable purchase scheme, the Ó Cualann model, I wonder if it would benefit from having more money moved into it given the time it has taken on some LIHAF sites and given that the serviced sites fund is looking more at those areas where affordability is a critical problem. It is under consideration. I do not like to say anything unless a decision has been made but because the Deputy has asked about it, I cannot not say it. That is what is being considered at the moment. We are about to make a call to local authorities on the serviced sites fund.

In the process of making that call, I will decide what will happen with LIHAF 2. Members should bear in mind that I also want to speak to the local authorities.

On the affordable purchase scheme, I can file a commencement order under the Act that is there already which is what I will do. I can move regulations from that. I do not know why I did not mention that last night, but it is not coincidental. The Deputy is not confirming me into positions that I did not have already.