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

I thank the Deputy for the question. Sinn Féin needs to pay closer attention to the housing market because the guidelines were actually announced and introduced a year and a half ago. They are not a response to the crisis in and of themselves. We are trying to build a future housing market that provides choices for every type of person in this country. It is not an attempt to bring in bedsits through the back door.

People need choice. It should not just be the privilege of a few; it should exist for everyone. That is what we are trying to do, especially for people from abroad who might be coming here for only six months, a year or two years. They would have a choice of accommodation types. Co-living has been welcomed and has been successful precisely in those cities whose rental markets we are trying to emulate, including those with models such as the cost rental model. It is a part of the choice. People should not rush to judgment based on one planning application.

Insofar as our plans for cost rental are concerned, they are being developed with the National Development Finance Agency, European Investment Bank and Dublin City Council, in particular, and also housing bodies and the Land Development Agency. We have sites earmarked and we hope development can get under way once we get the finance is right. Once people have a cost rental arrangement and get the percentage deduction on their rent, it will apply for five, ten, 15 or 20 years. If we get the finances wrong on this, people could get hurt in the future. In everything we do in housing, we are trying to protect people from the mistakes that happened so they will have sustainable, secure and affordable housing.

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