Eoin Ó Broin (Dublin Mid West, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

This month the Land Development Agency announced its latest cost-rental homes. These include one-bedroom, two-bedroom and three-bedroom apartments in Citywest here in Dublin. The rents range from almost €1,400 a month for a one-bedroom apartment to €1,800 a month for a three-bedroom one.

Under the rules of the cost-rental scheme, prospective tenants would need a gross income of €75,000 to access the one-bed and as high as €100,000 to access the three-bed. This means the thousands of people who earn too much to be eligible for social housing but less than €75,000 or €100,000 per year are effectively locked out of affordable cost rental. Cost rental must be affordable. That was always the policy of the Minister's party. Does he accept the rents being charged for these LDA apartments are not affordable, particularly for those who need them most? What will the Government do to bring down the cost of these rents?

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