Emer Higgins (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the witnesses for their attendance and I thank them and their teams for the work they do to make Housing for All more than just a plan. They are making it a reality for all of the people who desperately need that.

We know housing is a crisis, and we know we need to accelerate the delivery of homes. However, it is also important to acknowledge the fantastic work that the Department's teams are doing in making sure that we have the right conditions, people and schemes in place to deliver those homes. We have record investment and delivery of new homes. I see it in my own constituency of Dublin Mid-West. I see building sites, boots on the grounds and cranes in the sky. People can really see, with their own eyes, the progress that is happening, and it is a matter of accelerating it to make sure that we deliver more homes for people who need them.

It is great to see the first-time buyer figures as well, for this year and last year, and to see how many new first-time buyers are in a position to be able to purchase their own home. I am particularly interested in learning a little bit about how many people are availing of two of the schemes mentioned here, the help to buy scheme and the first home shared equity scheme. Obviously, the help to buy scheme has been around a long time, has a good name, and we know is being drawn down by people in their thousands. However, I would be interested to hear what figures are available at this stage on the first home shared equity scheme, which is newer and not as widely known. I saw Bláthnaid Treacy promoting it on social media in recent days. I know Ms Timmons was down at the National Ploughing Championships promoting it there. There is a lot happening in making sure the message is getting out there, but I would be really keen to understand how many people are availing of that, and if there is anything that we as public representatives can do to promote that scheme so more people get it.

I welcome the review of the private rental sector. That is important, because right now it is an extremely difficult environment for renters. The renters' tax credit is a help. I do not know if the Department has these figures available, or if they are more a matter for Revenue. However, if there was an indication as to how widely that is being drawn down it would be really useful to know.

Cost rental is coming on stream. We see it in my own area, in Newcastle and Clondalkin. We have cost rental properties available there. I would welcome an update as well on how many cost rental properties there have been so far, and what that pipeline is like for this year.

It is really good to hear there is so much happening in the affordability space. This is really, in my mind, where we have to correct things. Regarding that target from last year, we need to make sure those numbers are absorbed into this year and that affordability comes into the market. That is absolutely what I am hearing on the ground.

I would like to get some updates on the first home shared equity scheme, cost rental, the tax credits and then anything further on affordability.