Eoin Ó Broin (Dublin Mid West, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister. I acknowledge and welcome the flexibility he has outlined. I urge him to consider other areas of flexibility. I refer to the affordable or cost-rental element of some mixed-tenure estates. There is a real value in considering local authorities being responsible for cost rental or affordable rental schemes, partly because it would increase the rent paid to local authorities, which would assist them in meeting their commitments in respect of the long-term maintenance of the stock.

I refer to housing for sale. We know, from replies from the Department to parliamentary questions I submitted, that the all-in cost of local authority building for two or three-bedroom houses is significantly below that outlined in some surveys, such as the one carried out by the Institute of Chartered Surveyors. Therefore, there could equally be a benefit to local authorities and the State if the latter was in the business of providing affordable housing for sale that could be sold at below €200,000 or €220,000. That profit could be recycled back into future mixed-tenure housing developments. I am not saying that the Minister should consider the proposal instead of what clearly seems to be a more private sector focus. However, it is a model he should actively explore.

See this speech in context