Rebecca Moynihan (Labour) | Oireachtas source

This is very important legislation. It is a tool for the State to address our severe housing crisis. I had high hopes for the Bill and initially reserved judgment because I thought it was important that we get it right. Unfortunately, following the pre-legislative scrutiny and the debates since it was published, I am more wary. I will begin with the positive elements of the Bill. I welcome the provision of affordable housing on public land but, as with everything else, whether the housing will be affordable is open to question. This is because I see a fundamental flaw in the Bill, which is a failure to provide in the legislation a definition of "affordability" that is linked to income. What we have is a market discount Bill that does not guarantee affordability. The Minister can say "affordability" as much as he likes but it will not necessarily mean it is the case.

To give an example, some of the three-bedroom apartments classed as affordable that will be provided on public land in O'Devaney Gardens in the deal with Bartra will cost up to €420,000. This contrasts with a project in the Minister's constituency, where prices will start at €166,000 for two-bedroom apartments and €206,000 for three-bedroom apartments. This is affordable. It is important that we define in the Bill what "affordable" will be.

It is difficult to speak when I am listening to a conversation going on.