Liam Quaide (Cork East, Social Democrats)
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522. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government his plans to revise the income eligibility limit for affordable cost rental in County Cork to match the household income limit that applies in Dublin, given the comparable cost of living and price of houses in both areas; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37428/25]

James Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail)
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Cost Rental housing is a key tool in the Government's efforts to make rents more affordable and renting more secure. It is a new form of tenure in Ireland, established in 2021, where the tenant pays a rent which is set to cover the cost of delivering, managing, and maintaining the home. Cost Rental is targeted at people within the middle-income cohort, who do not qualify for social housing but who may be facing acute affordability pressures on the private rental market.

Eligibility for tenancies in Cost Rental homes is primarily determined by the net household income (less income tax, PRSI, USC, and pension contributions) of applicants, which is assessed at the point of application. In August 2023 the Government increased the net household income limits to €66,000 for Cost Rental homes in Dublin and €59,000 elsewhere. These limits were introduced across the Cost Rental sector from 1 August 2023 by the Affordable Housing Act 2021 (Cost Rental Eligibility) Regulations 2023.

In line with the commitment in the new Programme for Government, my Department is keeping the parameters for Cost Rental income eligibility limits under review, in order to ensure that the scheme effectively targets these homes at the intended tenant cohort.