Mr. John Coleman:

I thank the Senator for her questions. On our activity in Galway, I am happy to report that we are very active in Galway. Some 345 apartments are under construction in Crown Square, which are the first apartments to be developed in Galway since before the financial crash. We have a number in the pipeline as well. There is a scheme out for consultation for Galway Inner Harbour for 350 homes. We have a further 220 in Dyke Road in the planning process. Galway is a big focus, as are all the Irish cities. We hope to do more in Galway in the near future as well.

Regarding universal design, I share the Senator’s sentiments exactly and I understand where she is coming from on that. We work very closely with the local authorities to understand their needs from their own housing lists and plan ahead accordingly. For instance, by engagement with the local authority on the scheme in the Central Mental Hospital in Dundrum, we are awaiting a planning decision soon. It is hoped we will not get challenged on that decision. We have included a number of five-bedroom apartments, which will be for four occupants plus a care assistant, which are very bespoke and specific, and not easy to produce or design. That is only as a result of engagement with the local authority. It is an expression of how closely we work with local authorities but how much we care about that factor as well.

I will ask my colleague, our director of asset management, Enda McGuane, to expand on that a little bit for the Senator.