Seán Crowe (Dublin South West, Sinn Fein)
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602. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government if he is aware of the large number of people who earn too much to qualify for social housing, but not enough to qualify for cost rental schemes; his plans to introduce more flexibility into the cost rental bands to allow for this; if he agrees that at present, this results in greater reliance on HAP where other options should be available; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [61246/25]

James Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail)
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Cost Rental is a key element of the Housing For All strategy to improve affordability in the rental sector and to provide secure, long-term homes for moderate-income households. The core principle of Cost Rental is that the rents cover the development, management, and maintenance costs of the homes, so that the long-term future of the homes is financially secure, and that rents are not subject to the pressures of the open market.

The primary eligibility condition for accessing Cost Rental housing is a maximum net annual household income (less income tax, PRSI, USC and superannuation contributions) of €66,000 for Dublin and €59,000 elsewhere.

However, since rents must cover costs, a Cost Rental landlord must be confident that a prospective tenant can afford to pay the rent every month over the long term. Therefore, under the current legislation, a Cost Rental landlord has final discretion to consider the suitability of eligible applicants.

In line with the Programme for Government commitment, the parameters for Cost Rental eligibility are kept under review to ensure the scheme effectively targets the intended tenant cohort.