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

Every time we talk about fixing our broken housing sector, we talk about doing it in a way that does not make the mistakes of the past. That is why we always talk about a mixture of tenure on any site. It is the right way to go to have social and affordable homes and private homes on the same site. We know on the St. Michael's site that we can accommodate all three with a much greater proportion of social and affordable than had previously been envisaged. That is what we are trying to achieve.

In Thornton Hall we already have 74 social housing units. We have to bear that in mind as well. We also have great amenities there. There is a senior citizens’ complex, Richmond Barracks, which I want to go back and look at properly, Goldenbridge cemetery and a sports centre. I want to work with the local community groups so they can see the ambition we have. I do not believe going higher than 300 units will have the type of impact some people fear it will. We can go for a higher density in a way that will provide accommodation for, say, singles or couples starting off a family together. Not every home that we build has to be the same size because people are at different stages of their lives.

If we use some of the new design standards which I introduced at the end of last year, we can get more than 300 homes on that site and a greater proportion of affordable cost rental homes. The work we are doing is around the financial model. Can we build something to ensure the rents are affordable, not just tomorrow but for the next 20 years? It is not simple but we can do it because it has been done elsewhere.

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