Affordable housing regulations
Deputy Shortall pressed repeatedly for long-promised affordable housing regulations and a real scheme for local authorities. The Tánaiste said funding had been provided, councils could already bring forward proposals, and the Government was also moving ahead with cost rental.
The median house price in Dublin is €365,000. The average national income is €38,500. A person who earns €38,500 would require almost ten times that amount in order to afford to buy an average house in Dublin. Fine Gael in government has been promising an affordable housing scheme for at least five years. The Tánaiste did so on many occasions when he was Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government. We have yet to see the regulations for an affordable housing scheme. The Government has been long-fingering this for at least two years. Local authorities are waiting to see what the Government is talking about with regard to affordable housing. They have umpteen sites that could be developed for affordable housing, which is much needed, but there has been an undue delay regarding to the regulations. What is the reason for the delay and when can we expect those regulations to be signed?
Comment on this
In the most recent budget, the Government allocated significant funding for an affordable housing scheme that was agreed. It was understood that it would take some time to implement the scheme. However, there is currently nothing preventing local authorities coming forward with proposals around affordable housing schemes-----
Comment on this
The regulations have not been completed.
Comment on this
-----using the sites that they have available to them if they wish to so do. There was nothing preventing them from doing so two years ago. Local authorities can use their own initiative and work with the Department on this. The Government is now also moving ahead with the cost rental project.
Comment on this
On affordable housing, local authorities are waiting for regulations from the Department.
Comment on this
We have agreed to come forward with new proposals for affordable housing schemes and to give guidance on that. I do not have an exact date for what the Deputy is proposing, but the Department is working with local authorities on individual projects and they can be brought forward, as could have been done for the past couple of years.
Comment on this
We need a scheme. The Government has been promising it for a long time.