Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

That is the issue. The Minister had eight minutes to outline a number of answers to three questions. It is now up to me to decide what I have to pick by way of a supplementary question.

I refer to home ownership and affordable purchase. Home ownership levels in Ireland are now below the EU average, at 67%. In 1991, the home ownership rate was 82%. In 1991, private renters comprised 9% of the market and the figure is now 21%. The average age at which a person buys one's own home has risen from 26 years to 35 years. This is a major issue. Where are the criteria for the national scheme? I wrote to the Minister in March to raise issues I had with the salary levels, in particular those for couples. The matter should be devolved to local authorities and should not involve simply a discount on market price. That is a mistake. We should consider a shared ownership type arrangement. That relates to affordable purchase.

I want to talk about affordable rent but my issue is that when I ask supplementary questions it is as if I am asking only about affordable purchase. I want to ask about affordable rent, help to buy and the Rebuilding Ireland home loan.

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