Chris Andrews (Dublin Bay South, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

We have an underspend of €1 billion and the list of work that could be done with this €1 billion is extensive, including regeneration of flat complexes and maintenance of the flat complexes. The Minister mentioned voids and said he was focused on voids. I could bring him to any number of flats around here and show him that the number of voids is extensive. There are two voids in Leo Fitzgerald House and they have been empty for more than a year. There needs to be more focus on voids. Why would the Government not use that €1 billion to get a share in the Irish Glass Bottle site to increase the number of affordable and public homes on that site? The Irish Glass Bottle site will have 950 homes on it with the mix between social and affordable. It is hard to see how the affordable homes on the Irish Glass Bottle site will be affordable. Even with the current Government subvention guidelines, affordable homes will not be even close to affordable. The well-informed speculation is that homes in the Irish Glass Bottle site will cost approximately €650,000 to €700,000 at cost price, which is far from affordable. Even with the subvention it will not make them affordable.

Building enabling works are advanced and yet there is still no affordable scheme. When will we get an affordable scheme on the Irish Glass Bottle site? Every day I get emails and messages asking when an affordable scheme will be in place. What is the delay? The Minister should explain to residents who are living in overcrowded conditions what the delay is. The delay is only adding to the prices residents in Ringsend and Sandymount will need to pay. The affordable schemes need to be tied down as a matter of urgency.

It is also very important that the Government and Dublin City Council are committed to ensuring that the social housing is on the site and not moved away from the local community. The area around Ringsend, Irishtown and Pearse Street has lost many homes because developers were allowed to buy their way out of the Part V clause in providing homes in those communities because of the cost of the land. This cannot be allowed to happen on the Irish Glass Bottle site and Government needs to give a commitment that it will not happen.

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