Thomas Gould (Cork North Central, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I wish Mr. O'Rourke all the best and I look forward to working with him. The first point I will make is on the St. Kevin's Hospital site in my constituency. I have been advocating for development on this site for ten years or more and I welcome its development. It is about time because it has been lying idle for decades. I also welcome that housing on the site will be 100% social and affordable, which is very important, because there is a huge need for social and affordable housing in my constituency.

In Mr. O'Rourke's introduction, he did not mention social housing. It look me months of back and forth with the LDA, and of submitting questions and freedom of information requests to find out the breakdown. Is it correct that the breakdown of housing on the St. Kevin's Hospital site will be 90% affordable, with only 10% social? Will Mr. O'Rourke confirm that? With regard to the comments he made earlier about working with local authorities, I would be shocked if Cork County Council only went for 10% social housing on that site, considering the need for social housing in Cork.

Planning permission was granted for the St. Kevin's Hospital site last April. It is now eight months later and the tender for the enabling works is only going out now. Originally, that site was to be completed in 2023. Listening to Mr. O'Rourke, it sounds like, at best, it will be 2024. We have a huge housing crisis in Cork. We need houses and apartments delivered now. I have a few other questions, but I ask Mr. O'Rourke to answer those initial questions first.