Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

We have been acting in trying to get down the cost of building a house. That is what the local infrastructure housing activation fund, LIHAF, is all about. It is also why we are making publicly owned land available in an effort to create joint public private partnerships and in getting affordable housing projects moving. This is why we are looking at a much more streamlined and efficient planning system for some of the larger housing estates, in order that there can be certainty around the timeline for decisions, which also has an impact on funding. We are also looking at the Ireland Strategic Investment Fund, ISIF, with regard to on-site infrastructure investment at low cost. All these are being done.

To be fair, the core question Deputy Cowen has been asking for some time is whether we can get an independent assessment of the complete picture with regard to the construction costs for a house or an apartment complex. We have asked the Housing Agency to co-ordinate this and it is putting together a task force. I suspect we will have it in the first quarter of next year. Once there is a template to assess that, it should not be difficult to reassess it periodically to see whether elements of our construction industry are too expensive and if we can deal with that. When we have that list itemised, I believe it will be easier to do it.

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