Patrick Costello (Dublin South Central, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

The disconnection from market rents is a positive aspect. It is the sort of thing that needs to happen. Yet, we need to factor in the tenant’s ability to pay. Otherwise, we are still creating properties that will be unaffordable for a huge number of people. The reality is that the threshold at which social housing becomes unavailable to people is far too low. It has not been reviewed in a long time. The threshold needs to be raised. As that is raised, the upper threshold for cost rental also needs to be increased.

I welcome the Minister of State's statement about subventions by the State to keep the costs low. Ultimately, the rents will only be made affordable if we keep the costs low. Loans from the Housing Finance Agency and the European Investment Bank need to be of a sufficiently long term to reduce the cost and to keep these rents affordable.

The four local Members and the community will not stop fighting. The community has been fighting for 21 years. They will not stop. We will keep pushing to ensure these rents are affordable. However, as I say, we need to look at the threshold for social housing and for cost rental and increase them, because they are far too low as they stand.

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