Duncan Smith (Dublin Fingal East, Labour)
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402. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the housing options available to individuals who have been refused admission to their local authority housing list as their income puts them over the threshold, who have been renting long term but must vacate their current tenancy and who have a medical need; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29339/26]

James Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail)
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There are a range of measures being implemented by Government to tackle the issues of housing supply and affordability, as set out in the Delivering Homes, Building Communities action plan. Government is investing an unprecedented level of funding to support housing supply, which will underpin, among other things, the new Starter Homes Programme delivering an average of 15,000 affordable housing supports annually to 2030.

Full details on the current schemes can be found on my Department's website at: www.gov.ie/en/department-of-housing-local-government-and-heritage/campaigns/doors-open/.

In the case of someone renting over the long term with incomes over the relevant social housing limit, the most appropriate scheme may be Cost Rental. This is a key element of the Government's strategy to improve affordability in the rental sector and to provide secure, long-term homes for moderate-income households above the social housing income limits. The core principle is that rents cover the development, management, and maintenance costs of the homes, so that their long-term future is secure without rents being subject to the pressures of the open market. The Plan focuses on the delivery of new Cost Rental homes by Local Authorities, Approved Housing Bodies and the Land Development Agency. All funded Cost Rental projects must achieve starting rents that both cover costs and are at least 25% below comparable local market levels.

To be eligible for a Cost Rental tenancy, applicants must be able to show:

• that their net household income does not exceed €66,000 per year for a home in Dublin, and €59,000 for everywhere else in the country,
• that they are not in receipt of social housing supports,
• that their household size matches the size of the property advertised, and
• that they can afford to pay the cost-covering rent for the home.

• Affordable Homes: affordablehomes.ie/.
• Cost Rental - Tuath Housing: tuathhousing.ie/cost-rental/.
• Cost Rental - Clúid Housing: www.cluid.ie/cost-rental/.
• Cost Rental - Respond: www.respond.ie/cost-rental/.
• Cost Rental - Circle VHA: circlevha.ie/cost-rental/.
• LDA Cost Rental - LDA: lda.ie/affordable-homes/lda-cost-rental.