Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent)
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750. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government his plans to address the lack of affordable and secure rental accommodation available to a significant share of the population; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39050/17]

Eoghan Murphy (Dublin Bay South, Fine Gael)
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The Government recognises the housing affordability pressures faced by many households, particularly in certain parts of the country. It is for this reason that the overarching objective of the Rebuilding Ireland Action Plan for Housing and Homelessness is to increase the supply of new homes to 25,000 per annum by 2020. In particular, the aim is to increase the supply of high quality social and affordable homes, to buy or rent, as quickly as possible, in areas where demand is greatest.

The issue of housing affordability is being examined by my Department, in the context of the ongoing focused review of Rebuilding Ireland. I expect this work to be concluded in the coming weeks and I will be considering the potential role of new initiatives in that context.

The Strategy for the Rental Sector, reflecting the commitment in the Programme for a Partnership Government to develop a "cost rental" model for Ireland, already commits my Department to establish and lead an expert group to develop a viable cost rental model for the Irish rental sector. The Expert Group will assess the benefits that a larger and more developed not-for-profit component of the rental market would bring to the rental sector and the housing system, by increasing supply of more affordable rental accommodation for low to middle-income households and develop proposals to ensure that new capacity to do so is developed. Following the conclusion of the focused review of Rebuilding Ireland, it is my intention to establish this expert group in the coming weeks. A proposal regarding its membership and terms of reference is currently being finalised in my Department.