Mr. John Coleman:

I thank Senator Kelleher for her questions and observations. Let me address some of her queries. She asked a good question on whether we are adding another layer on top of what already exists between local authorities and other public bodies. I would respond with a firm "No". We are only seeking to become involved where we are additive, or where something that could be done is perhaps not being done. Alternatively, where a public body does not have a housing remit, we must ask whether we can make the land in question available for housing while also taking account of the body's own operational needs. There is certainly no adding to duplication or delays. On the contrary, we envisage becoming involved only where there is a void or a need to fill a gap, or where delays can be taken out of the process. That is our objective.

Let me touch on some of the points made on the ownership of publicly owned land and the question of who will own property when it is built. There is no simple answer because there will be a multitude of categories. For example, some houses will be built and sold to occupiers, who will own them. Some of the homes will be social housing and will be built and held by local authorities or their nominees, such as AHBs. Some homes, as in Shanganagh, will be built through the LDA in partnership with Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council and will be held, in the short to medium term, at least, by the LDA and rented to people at mid-market level. There is a multitude of ways in which the homes will come out. We are not restricting ourselves to any particular tenure.

I agree the question of what is affordable is a key one. On emulating what is happening elsewhere, in Vienna cost-rental is a major form of tenure. We are examining examples from the Continent closely. We have participated in much of the discussion on cost-rental and the Vienna model over the past year. We have spoken at many events also. We envisage the cost-rental product we are seeking to deliver in Shanganagh and on the other sites to which we have access as being entirely consistent with that. It will be sustainable over the long term because, as the name implies, the rent is a fair rent set to recover the cost of delivering the product. It is entirely consistent with our mandate.

I was asked whether the model represents a privatisation of State assets. This model actually expands the State's reach into housing, housing delivery and housing stock. At present, our reach as a State is through social housing only but in places such as Vienna, Hamburg and the Netherlands, social housing means a different thing. It includes a much broader cohort of the population. Half the population, or maybe 60% in the Netherlands, live in what they call social housing. It is a much broader category.