Seanad debates

Friday, 18 June 2021

Affordable Housing Bill 2021: Report and Final Stages

 

9:30 am

Photo of John CumminsJohn Cummins (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I compliment Senator Higgins with regard to the original proposal on Committee Stage. The acceptance of the wording in this respect is further evidence that the Government takes very seriously the rents that will be charged at the outset under the cost rental model. It is our target to reduce the rents to the maximum possible, which is why we have spread the term over 40 years. That is why we are being specific under this amendment about what we are determining as maintenance.

As the Minister outlined, however, amendment No. 18 contradicts that. It could result in additional rents for tenants at the outset as a result of catering for something that may happen in the future. That would obviously result in significant additional costs in terms of modelling over a 40-year period if it were to be included.

For that reason, therefore, I could not support amendment No. 18. I am, however, very pleased that the Minister of State is introducing Government amendment No. 15 to be specific and targeted in what we determine as specific maintenance costs, and not a generality that can be exploited.

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