Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)

Two months ago, in August, Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council introduced a so-called affordable housing scheme. Is the Taoiseach aware of the details of that scheme where two-bedroom houses cost €335,000 and three-bedroom apartments cost €345,000? Does the Taoiseach not agree that these so-called schemes that masquerade as affordable housing initiatives simply do not fall within the intent of the initiative? Does he not further agree that this particular initiative only adds to the great disappointment of people in that area who were promised and would have had a reasonable expectation that the local council would have provided an affordable housing project that they could attain and achieve?

Is he aware that even to participate in the selection process for allocation under this particular scheme, Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council imposed a non-refundable fee of €100 for all those who wished to be considered? Regardless of whether one was successful, the fee was not refunded. Given those facts, does the Taoiseach not accept that the so-called steps being taken by local authorities only masquerade under the banner of affordable housing and that this needs to be addressed by local government administrators and managers? Does he also accept that there is a bounden need to ensure all schemes that present under the affordable housing initiative have criteria that ordinary, average income families can meet?

Does the Taoiseach not accept that the restoration of Part V of the Planning and Development Act is a requirement if we are to see the inclusion of social and affordable housing within major developments in all parts of the jurisdiction? Clearly, the row-back on that has allowed property developers to hold back from their responsibilities. I urge the Taoiseach to take action in this regard.

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