Emer Currie (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I want to talk about housing and a model of housing we are familiar with but the residents of Dublin 15 are just getting to know about, which is cost rental. Some 247 apartments, a mix of studio, one-bedroom and two-bedroom apartments, are available through our new State agency, the Land Development Agency, LDA, under the cost-rental scheme. Long-term, secure tenancies are available at a cost that is at least 25% less than market value. That is available to households with a net income of less than €66,000, which could be a gross income of €100,000. They are available in Barnwell Point Apartments, Hansfield, which is an enviable place to live. It is only a couple of kilometres up the road and has been a strategic development zone for the past ten years. It has schools, one open crèche and another that is for sale. It is beside a train station for which I am working to get more frequent trains. We rightly talk a lot in this Chamber about the resources of the Garda and teacher shortages. I have met the teachers and principals in those areas. They want to put down roots and this development gives them that option. We are going to see more of that through the LDA with affordable purchase schemes and cost rental.

We saw reports yesterday about a couple on a combined income of €89,000 who cannot afford a three-bedroom semi-detached home in the greater Dublin area. Representatives of Threshold and Alone are in Leinster House today to talk about housing options for older people. This responds to that. We obviously need the cost of housing to come down and supply to go up. The LDA has more objectives in that regard and a target of 5,000 affordable homes by 2026.

I will say that there has only been a week for initial applications for the development and the deadline for applications through the LDA is tomorrow. I ask the Leader to bring it back to the Minister that people need more time to get to know the opportunities of this model.