Eoghan Murphy (Dublin Bay South, Fine Gael)
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The published guidelines are quite clear and were welcomed by many sectors, including architects and others, as providing another piece in the new housing sector we are building. Looking at the tens of thousands of new homes to be built over the next 12 months, easily less than 1% will be for co-living. This is not about replacing homes or apartments with co-living but making a small addition where some people may want that choice. Not everybody coming to this country will want to move to a four-bed flat with people they do not know. At the same time, such people may not want to live in isolation in a single studio. They may also want to make sacrifices to have access to a gym or such facilities. It is for those people to decide. Our current problem is that people do not have choice in housing, but by increasing supply, we can try to increase that choice with different types of supply. These include accommodation for the elderly, apartments for families, houses for families, student accommodation and co-living, which will be a small part of the whole. The concept has been welcomed by many. I have said that I cannot speak to an individual planning application so I will not do so.