Terence Flanagan (Dublin North East, Fine Gael)

The Government has failed in the area of affordable housing. A total of 17,000 affordable homes were provided for in the programme for Government and the NDP between 2007 and 2009. In 2007, only 3,500 units were delivered while 976 houses were delivered in the first months of 2008. Is there a problem with the affordable housing scheme because houses are being offered at the same price or higher than houses on the open market? One in every five applicants is refusing to take an offer under the scheme because it is not in their interest to do so. Will the Minister of State confirm the reason the scheme is being replaced with the Government equity scheme is that it failed? We have concerns about the Government taking between 25% and 30% equity in homes, which makes the owners vulnerable. Also, there are more than 40,000 on social housing lists and it is taking between eight and ten years to house these people. Will the Minister of State confirm he has failed in regard to housing these people?

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