Eoghan Murphy (Dublin Bay South, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

It is not a source of regret. It is a better use of resources to use our State-owned lands in this way to try to leverage affordable rent and affordable buy models and to have that €10 million to allocate to other areas where need arises. A recent example is when we had to allocate an additional €10 million to try to accommodate 200 more families who presented as homeless in the past number of months. On the issue of affordability and the review under way in the Department, that particular section of this problem, affordable rent and affordable buy, has to be a part of some of the new solutions that will be brought to bear. It is a part of our consideration. Deputy Boyd Barrett talked about this issue on Second Stage of the Bill. Anything we do at each point in the housing market will have an effect on the other points. The delivery of new social houses is very important. If we can also bring in new types of accommodation that are affordable for people to rent or buy, it will relieve pressures in other parts of the market, which would make it easier for us to combat the problem we are facing as a whole which is both a housing crisis and a homelessness emergency.

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