Ms Philomena Poole:

The Deputy asked about the concerns about demographics. I understand exactly from where he is coming because it is difficult for a first-time buyer in an area such as Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown. I came from a place where it was very difficult to find the second-time buyer. When people upgraded, they moved from the area. Therefore, I do not have a great concern about a younger cohort moving into the county because the affordable housing arrangement will, as we move through it, get us first-time buyers in so far as it can. When people upgrade, that is the county towards which they gravitate. That will give us the intermediate band, as it were.

We have one of the highest older populations in the county. There are people in larger homes who might choose to move, but not necessarily from the area. We have brought in a number of schemes for downsizing, specifically in respect of social housing built in an area to allow people to move out of the family home into smaller, more modern, easier-to-maintain houses. This allows the bigger houses to be given to younger families. Therefore, there are a number of things that we have done to address the issue.