Ciarán Lynch (Cork South Central, Labour)

By the end of the year, there may be in excess of 4,000 affordable housing units lying vacant. I agree that the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2008, to be debated tomorrow, includes several positive incentives in regard to the purchasing of homes under various social housing streams. However, how does the Minister of State intend to rectify the situation whereby the affordable housing programme is clearly no longer competitive when compared to what is available on the open market? Does he intend to give direction to local authorities that the prices of affordable homes must be reduced? Those prices were agreed with developers two years ago in an entirely different housing market. Unless prices are reduced, these units will remain vacant at the end of the year.

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