Eoin Ó Broin (Dublin Mid West, Sinn Fein)
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1321. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the status of the St. Michael’s Estate cost rental project in Inchicore, Dublin 8. [5709/20]

Eoghan Murphy (Dublin Bay South, Fine Gael)
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Acknowledging that renters in Dublin and other major urban centres are currently facing significant housing access and affordability challenges, the Government is committed to the introduction of a Cost Rental sector in Ireland. My Department is developing a national policy approach for this new form of rental tenure. This work includes the development of two pathfinder projects on local authority-owned sites, at Enniskerry Road in Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown, and at Emmet Road in Dublin City, from which lessons will be drawn to inform an optimum model for Cost Rental delivery at the national level.

The latter project, at Emmet Road in Inchicore, incorporates the site of the former St Michael's Estate referred to by the Deputy. Dublin City Council (DCC), the site owner, has advised it is continuing to make progress on the design and planning work for this project. It has appointed a dedicated project manager and project team, and has completed a development framework plan for the project. Most recently, DCC has just completed the procurement process to secure an architect-led integrated design team, who will now be responsible for detailed design of the scheme, obtaining all statutory consents and the delivery on site of a new sustainable neighbourhood. 

Overall, it is projected that this site can accommodate 484 homes in a high-quality mixed tenure development, including 375 Cost Rental apartments. DCC intends that the remaining homes will be provided for social housing and is engaging with my Department in terms of funding for that part of the project. DCC is also engaging with the European Investment Bank, which has signaled funding support in principle in respect of the Cost Rental housing element of the project.