Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

The provision of affordable homes is very important. We will deliver affordable homes this year for the first time in many years, although not enough. We need to do more. Next year will be challenging, by the way. I do not want to leave anyone in any doubt. Increased interest rates, increased rates in funding and development finance and, in particular, inflation provide risk into next year. Having said that, the Deputy makes a very good point. We are now endeavouring, through the LDA and the Housing Agency, to see where we can partner with private development to deliver affordable homes, in particular, social homes and to give some certainty there. It is not just specifically for the sector. It is also to ensure we do not see a fall-off in delivery.

On affordable delivery, we have the first home scheme, which the Deputy has been a very strong advocate for. I know others do not believe it is something that should be in place. That is fine and I respect people's views. We already have issued 760 or 780 approval certificates under that scheme. Many of those are for people who are renting and had mortgage approval, but had a gap. We were able to fill that gap. Most of those people are first-time buyers. They have got to a stage where the State will be able to step in and help them by taking on equity. I see great potential in that to deliver hundreds or thousands of additional homes.

I would like to see more efficiencies in the delivery of advance-purchase affordable homes. We are getting that. It is starting to happen now.

I mentioned to the Chair that there is a real opportunity for further expansion of cost rental. That is something that has been extremely popular and every scheme has been greatly oversubscribed. There is certainly an appetite for safe, secure, State-backed, affordable rents. We will use every lever available to get all these schemes working to their optimum in order to deliver the affordable, social and private homes we need.