Rebecca Moynihan (Labour) | Oireachtas source

I was going to ask the question Deputy O'Callaghan asked about the scale of response that is going to be required for the numbers of people who will be coming into the country. Perhaps we could follow up on that. Has the Department of Justice approached the Housing Agency? Has there been any backward planning done on how a large number of people can be housed within such a short period?

There were 390 cost-rental properties funded in 2021. We know from replies to parliamentary questions tabled by Deputies Ó Broin and O'Callaghan that only 115 were delivered by the end of last year. Some 454 are due to be funded in 2022. That is approaching 1,000 homes over two years. The Government commitment in the Housing for All plan is low at only 2,000 properties per year, which would total 18,000. If we are only managing to fund 1,000 properties over two years, not all of which are being delivered, are our guests confident that we will be able to deliver at least 18,000 by 2030? I understand there is funding but are our they confident in delivering those cost rentals?

A 40-year lending period has been mentioned. One of the mistakes we in Ireland have made with regard to housing and our investment in social housing is that we sell off stock and do not replace it. Since 2012, the only funding available was going to local authorities and now 45% of funding is going to AHBs. Once that 40-year period is up, are AHBs required to keep the property as social and affordable housing? If so, what happens at the end of that period?

Can they then just switch off to market? Can they then sell on their portfolio? Is anything built into the leases when it comes to approved housing bodies?

There is provision in the Affordable Housing Act for cost rental associations of limited-profit associations. I am not entirely mad about them but they are there. Will a clause be built into them? Will the Housing Agency have a role in funding those limited-profit associations? If so, what would constitute that limited profit? Does the same 40-year period apply? Will they then be able to revert to market after that 40-year period?

The Housing Finance Agency has funded co-operative housing through approved housing bodies. Has any work been done on funding of co-operative housing? One co-operative housing project for eight people fell apart in Dún Laoghaire recently thanks to a contractor. I think it is an interesting concept.

The Housing for All commitments include a new programme to introduce CPOs to allow the resale of vacant properties on the open market. It was due to be completed by the end of 2021. There is a target of 2,500 in the next two and a half years. What steps have both agencies taken to facilitate this? When do they foresee that this new CPO programme being implemented? I am sorry if this is a lot of questions at once.