Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees
Wednesday, 25 November 2020
Public Accounts Committee
2019 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 34 - Housing, Planning and Local Government.
Local Government Fund
Chapter 2 – Central Government Funding of Local Authorities.
4:30 pm
Mr. Graham Doyle:
As the Chairman has said, the situation is different in different locations. The averages may potentially distort the picture, particularly as a result of some outliers. We have looked at the issue. We are trying to compare apples with apples. Some of the numbers that are quoted with regard to average costs for local authorities to deliver accommodation, such as €200,000 or €210,000, quite often relate to a three-bedroom semi-detached or terraced house. Some of the very large numbers quoted relate to apartment delivery, which is fundamentally more expensive. We are trying to deliver a mix of units into the housing system. There are plenty of people looking for one-bedroom or two-bedroom apartments in addition to families who may be looking for a more traditional three-bedroom home. Quite often, the numbers quoted relate to some of the outliers.
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