Brian Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)

——which has a critical role to play in securing balance in the marketplace and supporting affordability, particularly for first-time buyers.

The Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government's housing policy framework outlines Government plans to reform the social and affordable housing sectors and support the expansion of home ownership. We are working towards building sustainable communities through a capital investment programme of €4 billion over the next three years. Some €17 billion will be invested in social housing with the aim of delivering a greater quantity of social housing options and improving the overall quality of the tenure. Some 27,000 new homes for people in need of social housing will be commenced or acquired over the period 2007 to 2009 and it is estimated that over 60,000 new social housing units will be provided over the full period of the national development plan.

The Affordable Homes Partnership, established in 2005 for the greater Dublin area, will build on its growing experience to assist in the roll-out nationally of certain initiatives. Investment of €4 billion under the plan will provide support for people seeking accommodation in the owner-occupied sector through the provision of affordable housing. It will also assist in the upgrading of the physical conditions of certain categories of private housing with particular emphasis on those who are most in need, including people with disabilities and older people. Some 17,000 new affordable units will be delivered over the period 2007 to 2009. The financial framework reflected in the plan will allow for broadly similar levels of output beyond 2009, resulting in some 40,000 households benefiting from affordable housing over the period of the plan.

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