Chris Andrews (Dublin Bay South, Sinn Fein)
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37. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government his views on proposals by approved housing bodies that they would be allowed to use some of their social housing stock to be put on the market as affordable rental properties; and if he has been in negotiations with approved housing bodies regarding this issue. [17646/20]

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail)
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The new Programme for Government 'Our Shared Future' commits to the development of a new Cost Rental sector in Ireland, whereby the rents charged will cover the cost of delivering, managing, and maintaining the homes. Approved Housing Bodies (AHBs) form a key element in the delivery of social housing in Ireland and have a well demonstrated capacity in both the construction of new homes and in the areas of property and tenancy management.

Approved Housing Bodies are now involved in the initial phase of Cost Rental projects. Respond and Tuath, two of the largest Tier-3 AHBs, are jointly leading the delivery of 50 Cost Rental homes at Enniskerry Road, Stepaside, Dún Laoghaire–Rathdown, as part of a mixed-tenure development that also includes 105 traditional social homes. The AHBs are being supported in this work by DLR County Council, the Housing Agency, the Housing Finance Agency, and my Department. This is the first Cost Rental development in the State and construction began in July 2019, with completion provisionally scheduled for Q3 2021, prior to the onset of Covid-19.

Earlier this year, representatives of the Housing Alliance, a group of six of the largest AHBs, met with my Department to discuss ways to make rental more affordable for households with income above social housing limits. These proposals have fed into the ongoing work of the inter-departmental/agency Cost Rental Working Group, which is developing methods for the consistent and sustainable delivery of Cost Rental at scale. I view the AHBs as potentially being key partners in this area and look forward to engaging with them further as we advance Cost Rental. However, I do not envisage that much needed social housing would be used for this purpose.