Thomas Gould (Cork North Central, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Cork City Council was only set a target of 78 affordable homes on average each year between now and 2025. That target is too low. Something the Minister has to be very aware of and the Government has to be extremely careful of is that they are creating the expectation for people who are trapped in a housing crisis that affordable homes and cost rentals will be delivered. The Minister outlined statistics. I do not disagree with any of them. It is the timeline that I disagree with, because I do not believe those developments will be delivered in that time. Some 78 homes for a city with the population of Cork does not go anywhere near meeting the need that is there.

Let us be honest. The Minister signed the affordable housing regulations in April, even though the legislation was passed before the summer recess last year. We engaged very constructively with the legislation at the housing committee, even though there are flaws in it. We saw it as probably the only way someone could get an affordable house under this Government. The Minister is not meeting the targets and the targets are not ambitious enough.

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