Mick Barry (Cork North Central, Solidarity) | Oireachtas source

I will address my questions to Mr. Coleman. I look at this matter first and foremost from the point of view people who have been locked out of the housing market. They are young people, people on low incomes and, in many cases, people on middle incomes. When these people hear of the establishment of an agency that has a remit to deliver 150,000 houses over a 20-year period, they will probably think it is an opportunity. Maybe they will think 20 years is a long time to deliver 150,000 houses and the time should be more compressed, but they will still view this as an opportunity. When they hear that 60% of the houses are likely to be done on the basis of private market and market rates, they will consider themselves still locked out and that it will not deliver housing that is affordable for them. They might think 30% is affordable but that depends on one's definition of affordable. Recently, the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government described a home in O'Devaney Gardens that costs €310,000 as affordable. The people I represent would say they would be priced out of that housing as well.

I repeat the question asked by Deputy Ó Broin. How does Mr. Coleman define affordable? Obviously affordability varies from site to site but what is the framework? What type of affordable homes and prices does the LDA aim to deliver for the people I am talking about? Given there are so many people on the housing list in this State, I must register my opposition to the allocation of 10%. The Taoiseach spoke about this being modelled on the ESB or Aer Lingus where the private sector did not deliver but the State stepped in and delivered. In reality, what we have is a housing crisis delivered by the private sector and the solution provided by this Government is the biggest privatisation of public lands in the history of the State.

I will get down to brass tacks and discuss my own area. The initial feasibility work has been completed and professional teams have been appointed to advance planning applications on the St. Kevin's development, which is good. When can we expect the planning application to be lodged? I know no one can state the day or week but when is it hoped that on-site construction will begin? When will the houses be delivered and available to people?

Again, I will discuss the ratio of 60:30:10. A lack of housing for key workers is a huge problem in Cork city. For example, ambulance paramedics, firefighters, nurses and teachers cannot afford housing in the city, so they must move far out into the county to source cheaper accommodation and drive to work every day. There is a real opportunity with 200 houses. If it is 60% at market rates, these people will be priced out of the market.

Why do we not buck the trend and challenge that at the St. Kevin's development? Why do we not have a far bigger percentage of genuinely affordable housing and a bigger percentage of social housing there? The social housing lists are bursting at the seams. Why is the ratio 60:30:10 and can that be changed?

One of the biggest swathes of new housing we will have is in Cork docklands, with 15,000 units, which is probably 10% of the overall Land Development Agency, LDA, target. There is a multiplicity of sites there. I could name them but would take up too much of the committee's time. Will the witnesses give the committee an idea which will be the first two or three sites that may be developed there and the timescale? If St. Kevin's is to be the first site in the city, what will be first docklands site to be developed and when?