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

This is kind of a different question but it is related. I agree with the Deputy on that. We have discussed this, and the review of the social housing limits is under way. We intend to publish that shortly. On affordable homes in Monaghan in particular, early delivery of affordable housing will arise from previously approved serviced sites funding of local authority schemes where construction has commenced. In the new year the first homes scheme, which will also be in place and which will apply to Monaghan, will begin to provide affordable homes in every county across the country. Under the serviced sites fund, which is being replaced by the affordable housing fund, Monaghan County Council submitted no schemes to the Department. That is a fact, not a criticism. Accordingly, there are no schemes in the pipeline in Monaghan. That is why we are asking it to bring forward any other measures it would envisage. We have to look at where we will be focusing affordability measures. In Clones, for example, the average house price is about €96,000 and the median price across the county is €161,500. Each local authority will have to identify areas where they believe they have affordability and viability constraints. Every local authority will have access to affordability measures, particularly under the shared equity scheme that would apply to all mortgage holders across the country.

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