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

Deputy Ó Broin's questions concerned the cost-rental model and financial modelling. A lot of work has been done with the EIB and the National Development Finance Agency, NDFA. Some of it is site specific and some of it is more general. This is absolutely not going to work if the rents are not affordable. We understand that. At the moment we are doing a lot of financial modelling around the Enniskerry Road site to see what starting rent we can lock in before it grows to a 40% cost reduction over time. The Deputy is aware of how important the cost-rental model is to me. It is something I want to see in this country so I am keeping a very close eye on the different schemes we have.

I have the order of priority for access to the scheme. In the first instance, this relates to affordable purchase. Once people apply, the first question will be whether the housing is suitable for their needs. If the applicant is a single person but the houses becoming available are three-bedroom homes, it will not be. The next criterion will be whether the person has been resident in the housing authority area for the 12 months immediately preceding application. The next question will be whether a household member is attending an educational facility within a certain distance of the homes concerned, then whether a household member is working within a certain distance of the home concerned. The next criterion is the date on which the application was made.

That is the current order of priority in the regulations. I ask people to consider those criteria and to come back very shortly on whether it is the right priority order. I believe it is, but I want to make sure people are happy with it.

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