Shared equity housing scheme
Richard Boyd Barrett argued that rising house prices were undermining the shared equity affordable housing scheme. Housing Minister Darragh O'Brien rejected that claim, said the Government aimed to deliver 4,100 affordable homes this year, and defended the Affordable Housing Act and shared equity approach.
I note the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage is sitting beside the Taoiseach. The Killian Woods report from last weekend on the shared equity affordable housing scheme would seem to suggest that the Government's affordable housing plan is looking increasingly like it is going to be completely defunct. I do not agree with that scheme because I think it is chasing already unaffordable house prices. It now appears that the house prices for all the new builds that are coming, particularly in Dublin, for the most part are going to be way in excess of the caps for the scheme. In other words, they are going to be next to useless. What does the Minister have to say?
Comment on this
That is not the case. We have a target of 4,100 affordable units this year. We intend to meet that target. We brought forward the most comprehensive piece of affordable housing legislation in the Affordable Housing Act 2021. In large part, delivery of affordable homes this year and in the next two or three years will be by way of the shared equity scheme, which will work to deliver homes for many people. That is where we are at. We are going to do it.
Comment on this
That is not-----
Comment on this
The Deputy should not believe everything he reads in the paper.