Eoin Ó Broin (Dublin Mid West, Sinn Fein)

I thank the Chair and I thank Mr. Taaffe and Ms Leech for their presence. Given the importance of social and affordable housing, it is fitting that our first public session is dealing with it. I acknowledge the significant volume of work the witnesses and their teams do, particularly council staff on the front line of tackling the housing and homelessness crisis and working with families in acute need. I ask the witnesses to please convey my thanks to their teams for that important work.

Last year, the Government badly missed its social and affordable housing targets. The new-build social housing target was missed by 15%, or almost 1,500 units. The cost-rental targets were missed by 16%. The affordable purchase targets were missed by 61% - a very small number of units were delivered. The part of Mr. Taaffe's opening statement that struck me most strongly was where he said that meeting the targets - or exceed them, if that is what the Government decided to do - would require urgent structural supports. My questions deal with what that support needs to look like and what needs to be in the revised housing plan in the NDP.

Mr. Taaffe said that land had been identified for 21,000 homes. The current Government housing plan for social, affordable rental and affordable purchase is 72,000 homes over the next five years. With the programme for Government, that will bring it up to about 82,000. My first question is on where the land will come from. I appreciate it is not all from local authorities but if the authorities only have land for 21,000 houses, what are their proposals? What would they like to see from the Government in terms of additional land capacity for the local government sector?

Second, staffing is a significant issue. I appreciate the enormous pressure council housing departments are under with more work and fewer staff. Staff retention, because of the housing crisis, is a major issue. Do the witnesses know the total number of staff in housing departments across the local government sector? Do they know what number is needed? I know there was some additional sanction given under the previous Minister, but will the witnesses identity what the requirements are?

Third, having mixed social, affordable rental and affordable purchase estates is a really good idea. There was a review and there was meant to be a single point of approval in the Department. Will the witnesses give us an update? Is that single point of approval up and running? Is it working?

We will take those three first. The clock has not stopped running from the previous speaker but that is okay. We will get there in the end.