Dessie Ellis (Dublin North West, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

The sale of the Irish Glass Bottle site at Poolbeg to the Ronan group and its consortium will prove to be a profitable cash cow for these private developers. There is a proposal to build 3,500 new homes on this important site, which has been in State hands for more than a decade. However, the motivation of private developers is to maximise their profits and sell off the houses at the highest possible price. House prices have increased by 13% in the past year, with people now paying an average of €34,000 more for a home than last year. In Dublin, the average house price now ranges from between €350,000 and €600,000. Even the lowest price range of €350,000 cannot be in any way regarded as affordable for a vast majority of people.

The money invested in the former Irish Glass Bottle site would suggest that prices on homes in this development will be out of the reach of most people. If this is the case that arises, it will be nothing short of scandalous at a time when people are struggling to get on the property ladder or even rent a home. The previous housing Minister was offered a site by NAMA at a 50% reduction.

If he had followed through and bought the site, it could have been given over to a local authority which could have enhanced the number of social and affordable houses being delivered. Instead, he refused the offer and, true to form for a Fine Gael Minister imposing Fine Gael policies, not a single affordable home to buy or rent has been delivered centrally by the Government.

NAMA and the Minister for Finance have conceded that they are clueless as to what the rent or sale price for affordable homes on the site will be. It was a condition of the planning for the 3,500 homes that 15% of the units would be affordable and 10% would be social housing. The Minister has, to date, indicated that as regards apartments, a price of up to €450,000 is affordable. What price would the Minister envisage for new homes in this development? I can see a situation whereby those who were born and raised in the area, in particular around the Ringsend and Irishtown area, will not be able to afford these homes and will have to move out of the area.

At the moment, there is nothing to stop vulture funds buying up large numbers of these homes and renting them out at exorbitant prices. What guarantees can the Minister give that vulture funds will not once again take from a diminishing housing stock? Is the Minister concerned that the developer could possibly offer to give 15% affordable and 10% social housing on another site other than this one to fulfil his obligations? In the interests of social inclusion and integration, there should be a proper mix throughout the development of social, affordable and private homes. We should not have a situation, as has often been the case in the past, where social and affordable housing is lumped into one corner of a development. There are serious concerns in the community about this development that have not been addressed. Many of these concerns have been raised by local organisations such as the Irish Glass Bottle Housing Action Group. It feels that the community is being ignored. These communities deserve better and they deserve to be heard.

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