Noel Ahern (Dublin North West, Fianna Fail)

I provided the figures of €24.5 million plus €5.5 million in levies. As I noted, some 1,400 affordable units were provided last year. Legally, the developer must provide houses on site or else provide houses off-site elsewhere, or sites elsewhere, or half-completed houses elsewhere, or land or cash, but if there had been no flexibility in that last year, the figure of 1,400 units would probably have increased by 20% or 25%. Accordingly, the notion that we have only 1,400 units because all the developers are buying their way out of the obligation is untrue. As I say, the number of units might have gone up by 20% or 25% — one cannot estimate an exact figure, but we looked at the possible number. The various alternative provisions for developers will die out over the next couple of years, although the cash provision option will continue.

Everybody wanted that flexibility. It makes sense when one instances Ailesbury Road, for example. We now have data from the different local authorities. One can see that some of them are accepting cash, sites or lands more than others, and one wonders why, so we are asking them why they are a little trigger-happy, using the flexibility measures more than other local authorities. As we have some data now, we can ask more questions, and are doing so.

The idea of flexibility is good. It was introduced for a purpose, not to let developers off the hook. That is not what I am about. Flexibility is sensible and wise at times and the money is ring-fenced. It is under the control of the Department, but we are responsive to any good ideas from local authorities. The money can be used for new social housing or for greater subsidies. For example, in theory, some of those houses I referred to as having been for sale last week could be sold at even lower prices, if local authorities made a proposal to the Department along those lines.