Paul McAuliffe (Dublin North West, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

As a member of the housing committee, I might be able to assist here. I do not want to stray too much into the policy area, but as we are in public session, I will address two areas that have been raised already, one of which is the issue of pensions and the other the issue of the subsidy through HAP. The legislation is before us in the House this week. We can discuss it in that context also. The current scheme does not allow subvention through HAP. There is not a long- term subsidy to provide it through HAP.

The second issue is there is an allowance for people in order that they can continue to live in their current home at a reduced rent or with an income support when they reach retirement age. The two issues raised are very important. We have discussed them at the housing committee and they have certainly been resolved to my satisfaction.

This is a new model, however. We cannot look at it closely enough to make sure both the public and private providers, which are going to provide this model, do so in a way that is efficient. It is a model that limits profit, caps finance and does many different things, which I could explain in more detail if we went into it. We cannot look at this model enough, however.

We should look at this Enniskerry Road scheme because I believe it will involve further projects. We should look at how this pilot might have differed from the legislation, particularly around the Land Development Agency, which will be the principal provider of this model in the short term. We want to make sure it is got right. I welcome the focus on this issue by Deputy Carroll MacNeill and the questions raised by the other members. We should dedicate some time to the finances of the cost rental model rather than the policy issues, which have been dealt with by the committee and will also be dealt with in the Dáil.