Noel Ahern (Dublin North West, Fianna Fail)

Budget 2007 introduced last week provides the necessary financial underpinning in my Department's capital envelope to deliver on its ambitious affordable homes target set out in Towards 2016.

Specifically, the Government has acted to address issues of housing affordability. A range of targeted schemes to assist first-time buyers has been put in place directed specifically at those who cannot meet their own housing needs. These include the shared ownership scheme, the 1999 affordable housing scheme, affordable housing through Part V of the Planning and Development Acts 2000 to 2006 and the affordable housing initiative under Sustaining Progress.

In addition, we have established the affordable homes partnership to co-ordinate and accelerate the delivery of affordable housing in and around the capital. Since its establishment last year, the partnership has made progress in a number of areas. These include land exchanges, a "call for lands" initiative designed to bring forward additional land for affordable housing and the development of common approaches to the implementation of Part V of the Planning and Development Act 2000.

The momentum of delivery under the various schemes is growing, particularly under Part V, and it is estimated that some 3,000 homes will be delivered from all the schemes this year. On the basis of the momentum now achieved, we have an ambitious target for the period 2007 to 2009 with some 17,000 homes in total to be delivered under the various affordable schemes. This is a substantial commitment to meeting the needs of first-time buyers seeking affordable housing.

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