John Cummins (Fine Gael)
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I hope we will all get that leeway. I thank Mr. Coleman and his team for coming before the committee, albeit a bit later than we would have hoped. Certainly it is welcome they are here. That is not the case regarding the Peter McVerry Trust, which we were discussing prior to the arrival of our witnesses today. I welcome the fact that the LDA is here.

I and my party fully support the LDA in its goal to expand social and affordable housing throughout the country. It is not something that every party supports. I accept Mr. Coleman's contention in his opening statement that the LDA has come from a standing start. Anyone involved in any organisation, from a local team to a corporate entity, knows that beginning from a standing start takes a considerable period of time. When it is a State vehicle involved in construction, which is subject to the same rigours of the planning process as any other, it takes a considerable period of time. I accept that it has been a slow start but I believe that over time the LDA will be seen to be a very strong vehicle for the delivery of social and affordable homes.

Regarding affordable homes, much of the previous discussion was about cost rental. This is where the LDA will have the biggest impact. Where I feel it will have less of an impact, and where I would like it to have more of an impact, is in the area of affordable purchase homes. Through Project Tosaigh it has entered this space. It has a number of homes available for affordable purchase in Shanganagh. Prior to Christmas I had the pleasure of visiting there with the Cathaoirleach and Senator Fitzpatrick. Unfortunately no other member of the committee was in a position to attend and see the great work going on there.

I ask Mr. Coleman to correct me if I am wrong but I believe the LDA's structure is more geared towards the delivery of cost rental and is not geared towards the delivery of affordable purchase. I am aware of a site in Waterford in this respect. There have been challenges in terms of the interaction between the developer, the LDA, the council and the purchasers in getting all of these wheels to work in tandem with one another to ensure the closure of the sale. The LDA is more set up towards cost rental and this is more the area it wants to be in as an organisation. I would like some reassurance about the affordable purchase element. While the rental sector is very important, the delivery of affordable purchase homes for people is equally important.