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

I thank the Deputy for his supplementary contribution. Of the homes, 30% will be social housing. In addition, a site adjacent to the site will provide for the completion of more than 100 social housing homes. Of the 70% that will be sold at competitive prices, a cost reduction equivalent to the amount we have invested through LIHAF will be applied.

Similar prices in the area indicate that starter homes can be provided and are being sold for less than €300,000. Given the data that I have seen, I am not sure where the Deputy is getting the figure of €500,000 from.

This is not similar to the other projects that the Deputy referenced. We are 18 months down a detailed procurement process. Were we to delay it any further by trying to make a material change to the proposal before the councillors, it would contravene EU directives and Irish regulations and invalidate the procurement process. It could set us back a further 18 months. From the point of view of the Government and people who badly need new homes to be delivered, this is a significant development of almost 1,000 new homes, and I urge the councillors on the local authority not to delay it further and to proceed with giving approval for it at the council's October meeting. The council can then move forward with this and the adjacent sites and get all the funding that has been promised to it in respect of the land it owns, which it can then reinvest into other social and affordable housing schemes in its area. This is not to mention the large crèche and even larger community centre that will be provided on the site.

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