I thank the people of Dublin South-Central for their courteous and respectful response on the doorstep, regardless of whether they favour "Yes" or "No". There is a very strong indication that there will be a "Yes" vote from Dublin South-Central. While people have indicated a "Yes" vote, it is really important that people go down tomorrow between 7 a.m. and 10 p.m. and plan their day to do that.

I wish to raise the regeneration of St. Michael's Estate in Inchicore. St. Michael's Estate Regeneration Team called a public meeting on 15 May 2017 saying that there is another way. One of the speakers was Tom Healy, author of a report entitled Ireland's Housing Emergency - Time for a Game Changer. I also wish to put on the record the fact that the Government programme embraces the concept of cost rental. I welcome the fact that the Minister met with St. Michael's Estate Regeneration Team from St. Michael's Estate this morning. This is a 12-acre site owned by Dublin City Council. St. Michael's Estate Regeneration Team, which is a local campaign, has put forward a very sound proposal, namely, for the State to use this site as a pilot project for the development of publicly owned land throughout the State. On 26 April, St. Michael's Estate Regeneration Team launched a plan entitled Inchicore for Quality: Fair Rents Homes, which is based on the fair rent model, which is a proven European model that delivers a secure tenure home at an affordable rent which remains a public asset.

It is proposing the site be used to build affordable energy-smart homes, half of which would be local authority housing and half on the cost-recovery rental model. This would make housing affordable for those whose income is above the limit for local authority housing and would never be able to afford a €350,000 mortgage and who are being screwed with exorbitant rents in the private rental sector, facing constant insecurity in short-term leases. This morning, I checked daft.ie and the rent for a two-bedroom apartment was between €1,900 and €2,600 in our area.

Such a scheme would achieve a good social mix; the Tánaiste previously said he did not want to see social housing ghettoes. This is precisely the type of affordable rental accommodation with security of tenure required for people on moderate incomes such as nurses, teachers, construction workers, transport workers and all sorts of people who get up early in the morning but cannot afford the unaffordable house prices or rents in the private sector.

A recent report by housing expert, Mel Reynolds, estimates that 114,000 homes could be built on existing zoned land held by local authorities. Some 70,000 of these could be built in the four local authority areas in Dublin if this land was used as proposed by the St. Michael's estate regeneration team, with 50% local authority housing and 50% cost-rental.

A number of Deputies from various parties attended the launch on 26 April and all gave a commitment to support the St. Michael's estate regeneration team pilot. We have not got an indication from the Government as to whether that would be the case. However, if the Government is not prepared to do it, it will be in the minority. I urge the Tánaiste to come back with a positive response.

I thank the Deputy for raising the issue. I was on the site with the Minister of State, Deputy Catherine Byrne, when I held the housing brief. This represents a huge opportunity to develop something significant in the area.

This morning, the Minister, Deputy Eoghan Murphy, met the St. Michael's estate regeneration team. He also met other residents last week along with the Minister of State, Deputy Catherine Byrne. The St. Michael's estate regeneration team proposal, "Our Community a better way: campaign for fair rental homes", was launched on 26 April in Buswell's Hotel. It comprised 300 homes, 150 of which were social and 150 were cost-rental. The State would fund the capital cost of all units at a cost of €56 million. There would be a mix of one, two and three-bedroom apartments costing on average €175,000, €183,000 and €200,000, respectively. Average monthly rent on a cost-rental basis would be €900.

Dublin City Council is proposing a minimum of 420 units on the site, which is significantly more than the fair rent homes proposal has envisaged. It is important on key pieces of land such as the St. Michael's estate site that we make optimum use of the land assets available. Aside from the construction costs of whatever development takes place, it is critical we do not have a loss of opportunity because of density that is too low. Dublin City Council proposed 30% social housing, 126 units; 20% affordable housing, 84 units; and 50% private homes, 210 units. The first phase of the social housing element, which is 52 living-with-care homes, has housing with the support of the pilot project under Rebuilding Ireland. It has been approved by the capital assistance scheme, a funding of €15 million plus a contribution of €450,000 from the Department of Health towards additional communal facilities.

Dublin City Council intends to develop the lands primarily for residential development with commercial, retail, enterprise and community uses as outlined in the Dublin City Council city development plan. Proposals for interested parties can be assessed as part of the public procurement process to develop the land.

This is a really significant site. We need to proceed with the construction project as soon as we can. Dublin City Council has a view on the way to move forward. I know there are varying views among many people living in the community in the area. The Government intends to prioritise the best approach here that can deliver housing units to ensure we have a mixed-tenure community with social, affordable and private housing to create the right communal environment on the site.

The programme for Government states:

To this end the new Government will introduce a new model of affordable rental by working with housing associations and local authorities to develop a “cost rental” option for low-income families, as recommended by the NESC. The new Minister for Housing will provide leadership, work with all relevant stakeholders, and will set out in the Action Plan for Housing, a roadmap to implement the cost rental model.

The existing Government policy is not working. Only 2,378 houses were built by local authorities and housing bodies in 2016 and 2017, which is 4% of what could be built on State-owned lands. Apart from the fact that it is a giveaway of State lands, the housing land initiative will not work. Even if developers take up the offer from local authorities, the housing built will not be affordable.

We are pushing an open door here. Many people in the community support the concept of the pilot scheme proposed by the St. Michael's estate regeneration team. Councillors also support the concept in general. People on this side of the House support the concept and have committed to work together in solidarity to implement this pilot model. I ask the Tánaiste to sit down with the relevant parties, including the councillors, the housing manager in Dublin City Council and Government representatives, to implement a cost-effective rental model that will be a game changer in our community.

I assure the Deputy that the Government is committed to the cost-rental model.

Some 55% in NAMA.

Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council has a pilot project in co-operation with the Housing Agency and approved housing bodies at Enniskerry Road, Dundrum. While it is relatively small scale with 50 cost-rental units, it will be a proof of concept. We are absolutely committed to affordable rental and cost rental as well as using land banks the State owns strategically today to ensure we can deliver on the potential of that model.

The Government also insists that we want to create mixed-tenure communities where social housing is next-door to affordable rental, next-door to privately owned property.

At the cost of rent they cannot afford it.

That is how we create the advantages of mixed-tenure communities, which in our view is a more sustainable way to develop many of these sites.