Eoin Ó Broin (Dublin Mid West, Sinn Fein)
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775. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government if he will introduce an affordable housing model which will ensure Dublin City Council will be in a position to proceed with the construction of affordable homes on agreed sites in Dublin city. [39402/17]

Eoin Ó Broin (Dublin Mid West, Sinn Fein)
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776. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the progress which has been made with the introduction of an affordable or cost rental model of housing. [39403/17]

Eoin Ó Broin (Dublin Mid West, Sinn Fein)
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777. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government if a group was established to explore the introduction of an affordable or cost rental model of housing; and if so, if the group has met and made progress on the matter. [39404/17]

Eoghan Murphy (Dublin Bay South, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 775 to 777, inclusive, together.

As signalled previously, the issue of housing affordability is being examined by my Department, in consultation with Dublin City Council, other local authorities and the Housing Agency, in the context of the ongoing review of Rebuilding Ireland. I expect this work to be concluded in the coming weeks and I will be considering the role of new initiatives in that context.

The Strategy for the Rental Sector, published in December 2016, reflecting the commitment in the Programme for a Partnership Government to develop a "cost rental" model for Ireland, taking into account the work already completed in this area, including by the National Economic and Social Council and others, commits my Department to establish and lead an Expert Group to develop a viable cost rental model for the Irish rental sector.  This Group will address issues such as funding mechanisms, the need to grow the necessary institutional capacity, particularly within the AHB and not-for-profit sector (whether through mergers, new entrants or strategic partnerships), rent levels, the households to be targeted and the appropriate regulation mechanisms.

The Expert Group will assess the benefits that a larger and more developed not-for-profit segment would bring to the rental sector and the housing system, by increasing supply of rental accommodation for low to middle-income households and ensuring new capacity 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.