Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 169: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the location and exact numbers; the cost per house; if the purchase was part of a wider agreement and if he will make further purchases along these lines in view of his recent announcement regarding the purchase of a number of affordable houses for sale to eligible applicants throughout the greater Dublin area; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7482/07]

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 574: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the process undertaken by him in relation to the acquisition of 500 affordable houses as announced by him; the person by whose volition the project came about; the location of the houses in question; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7738/07]

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 575: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the extent of the affordability of the 500 affordable houses that he recently announced; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7739/07]

Noel Ahern (Dublin North West, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 169, 574 and 575 together.

In Towards 2016 and the National Development Plan 2007-2013, the Government have committed to the delivery of 17,000 affordable homes over the three years 2007 to 2009. In line with this, my Department, acting on a proposal made to the Cabinet Sub-Committee on Housing, Infrastructure and PPPs, requested the Affordable Homes Partnership to initiate a process in late 2006 to source 500 new homes in the Greater Dublin Area, with a view to making these available at discounted prices.

Advertisements were published earlier this month inviting applications for the first 416 of these homes. In general, the homes involved were purchased at prices in the range of €300,000 to €380,000 and are being made available at discounted prices in the range of €200,000 to €280,000. The discounts are being funded by the Exchequer and will be subject to the normal 20-year clawback arrangements that apply to the sale of affordable homes generally. The numbers and locations of the advertised homes are set out in the following table.

This initiative will assist in addressing the difficulties faced by a particular category of eligible applicants in the Greater Dublin Area, where affordability difficulties are most acute. It is additional to the range of other delivery mechanisms, including the 1999 Affordable Housing Scheme, the Part V mechanism and projects on State and local authority lands, through which the needs of a broad range of affordable home purchasers, particularly those on lower incomes, are being addressed.

I expect that the remaining 84 homes in the 500 home programme will be advertised shortly. The bulk of the 500 homes are scheduled to be completed this year, commencing in April. The possibility of undertaking further purchases under this initiative remains under consideration.