I want to talk about housing and a model of housing we are familiar with but the residents of Dublin 15 are just getting to know about, which is cost rental. Some 247 apartments, a mix of studio, one-bedroom and two-bedroom apartments, are available through our new State agency, the Land Development Agency, LDA, under the cost-rental scheme. Long-term, secure tenancies are available at a cost that is at least 25% less than market value. That is available to households with a net income of less than €66,000, which could be a gross income of €100,000. They are available in Barnwell Point Apartments, Hansfield, which is an enviable place to live. It is only a couple of kilometres up the road and has been a strategic development zone for the past ten years. It has schools, one open crèche and another that is for sale. It is beside a train station for which I am working to get more frequent trains. We rightly talk a lot in this Chamber about the resources of the Garda and teacher shortages. I have met the teachers and principals in those areas. They want to put down roots and this development gives them that option. We are going to see more of that through the LDA with affordable purchase schemes and cost rental.

We saw reports yesterday about a couple on a combined income of €89,000 who cannot afford a three-bedroom semi-detached home in the greater Dublin area. Representatives of Threshold and Alone are in Leinster House today to talk about housing options for older people. This responds to that. We obviously need the cost of housing to come down and supply to go up. The LDA has more objectives in that regard and a target of 5,000 affordable homes by 2026.

I will say that there has only been a week for initial applications for the development and the deadline for applications through the LDA is tomorrow. I ask the Leader to bring it back to the Minister that people need more time to get to know the opportunities of this model.

I wish to be associated with the Cathaoirleach's introductory remarks regarding Jim McMahon, who served the Fine Gael party for 24 years and is retiring at the end of the month. I wish to put on the record my appreciation for the role he has played over many years. He has supported me and many others.

The National Transport Authority, NTA, today published a report on fare determinations. It is very interesting because, unfortunately, it does not refer a huge amount to rural Ireland. There are significant discrepancies between various services and their costs in rural Ireland. I have regularly highlighted the difference between the cost of getting a train from Ennis to Limerick and the cost of getting a train from Maynooth to Dublin. It is more or less the same distance but the cost of the train from Ennis to Limerick is far higher.

There is an even bigger discrepancy that I cannot for the life of me understand. We have Bus Éireann and Transport for Ireland, TFI. TFI is providing fantastic support and services in rural Ireland. There is a Bus Éireann service from Ennis to Ennistymon at 6.30 p.m. and there is a bus serving the same route at 6.04 p.m. as part of the TFI service. If you were to book a ticket online today without a Leap card, the Bus Éireann service costs €6.80 while a ticket with TFI costs €2.50. Any amadán would understand that does not make sense. We need a standardised fare structure among all public bus and rail services that are provided directly by Bus Éireann or Iarnród Éireann or that are being funded by the taxpayer and provided by other operators. It is ridiculous, does not add up and does not make sense. It needs to be changed.