Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

When this Government took office it was made clear that delivery on housing would be our number one priority. At a time of global upheaval, be that with Covid, the cost-of-living pressures, or the war in Ukraine, the Government has sought to deliver on that, led by the Minister, Deputy O'Brien, and the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage. We did not, nor do we, underestimate the challenges involved, nor do we underestimate the awful impact the housing crisis has on so many of our citizens. This is why the Government is working to deliver on our commitment to provide social housing, to provide affordable housing, and to provide affordable rental. There cannot be any end to the challenge we face in housing until we see an increase in supply, and supply is now increasing. To the end of September, more than 55,000 homes were either commenced or completed. I see this in my own constituency. Only one month ago, the Taoiseach, the Minister, Deputy O'Brien, I and others, saw already under construction the first phase of the Church Fields development, built by Fingal County Council and funded by a huge capital investment secured by the Minister, Deputy O'Brien. That will deliver more than 300 social, affordable and cost rental homes in the middle of my constituency. These positive developments are not just happening in Dublin West. Work has already commenced on the largest public housing scheme in the State, in Shanganagh, in Shankill in County Dublin. The Shanganagh development will deliver 597 social and affordable homes. The first of these will be the completed in 2024. Importantly, more than half of these homes will be cost rental. Cost rental is a viable new form of tenancy in Ireland that was introduced by this Government. A total of 900 cost-rental homes have been approved in Ireland in just over one year since the Affordable Housing Act was enacted, providing the basis for this new sector. By 2030 we aim to have 18,000 cost-rental homes in the State. The introduction of cost rental as a new form of tenure will be one of the most important legacies introduced by this Government.

I will conclude on a final point. Through managing the housing crisis we have, of course, had to manage the crisis created by the war in Ukraine and the real pressures provided in housing and services by the arrival of more than 71,000 people to our country. Throughout that, I recognise the work the Minister, Deputy O'Brien has done in supporting my Government and for being a staunch voice in support of our Ukraine response, whether it be setting up community fora, resourcing a director of services for the Ukraine response in every local authority across the country, mobilising rest centres, working on pledged properties, or working on the refurbishment of institutional buildings. On top of the huge challenges faced by his Department, and the huge challenges the Minister is rising to in delivering housing and responding to the crisis, the Minister, has assisted the huge work the Government is doing on Ukraine. I express my thanks to him. I know that work will continue with him in his role as the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage.

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