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

We want to get to a stage where it is not a question of whether people's homes are public or private in this country but that they are simply people's homes. We want to ensure we are delivering both types of housing. If we look at the Shanganagh development in Dublin, nearly 600 units have been approved by the LDA and Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council and all of them will be social and affordable homes. That is what we want to see in most places. There may be instances where that exact model will not suit, but I am saying that this Government will be acutely focused on ramping up our public housing stock, with an emphasis on building new public homes. That is what I want, namely, a clear emphasis on building public homes for our people, like what was done by governments in the 1930s, 1940s, 1950s, 1960s and onwards. That can be done and it is what we want to do.

At the same time, I also want to deliver affordable homes for working people through affordable purchase and affordable rental mechanisms. We have started to do that and I will bringing forward new schemes later this year. I intend that we will see homes being delivered through that model next year. I have said from the very beginning that we must work with the local authorities to get our public housing stock up. That is what we intend to do and what we will focus on.

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