Paul Gogarty (Dublin Mid West, Independent)

Couples in the first home scheme and other schemes are being priced out of the market in south Dublin and elsewhere. People who are working hard do not qualify for social housing but cannot qualify to make commercial bids and join the overnight queues for a small number of available properties. I understand the current pricing in south Dublin is €475,000 for houses and €500,000 for apartments. However, we have seen situations such as that relating to the Keepers Lock development where initial prices were €435,000 for phase 1 and €475,000 for phase 2. These have now risen again. People who applied in good faith for houses within the thresholds are now being told they do not meet the criteria. The market is moving so swiftly that a review in June and an amended scheme in July will be too late for many couples. I ask that a review be expedited and that the thresholds for these homes be increased. An advertisement in the adjacent development at Lockhouse Way in Seven Mills is showing three- and four-bedroom homes eligible for first home scheme first-time buyers. When people then look, however, they discover that these homes are not actually available. Someone needs to go over this with a fine-tooth comb in order to see if it can be adjusted.

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