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Social and Affordable Housing

Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 3 February 2021

Wednesday, 3 February 2021

Ceisteanna (306)

Michael Collins

Ceist:

306. Deputy Michael Collins asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will address a matter (details supplied) regarding the affordable housing scheme in Kinsale, County Cork; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5846/21]

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Freagraí scríofa

Under the Programme for Government, ‘Our Shared Future’, this Government has committed to putting housing affordability at the heart of the housing system and to:

- prioritise the increased supply affordable homes and to ensure that local authorities are central to delivering housing, and 

- progress a state-backed affordable home purchase scheme to promote home ownership.

To that end, on the 20th January last, I published the General Scheme of the Affordable Housing Bill 2020. This provides the legislative basis for a number of new affordable housing measures. This includes a local authority led affordable purchase scheme and an Affordable Purchase Shared Equity scheme for homes on private developments. 

It is intended that these schemes will be targeted at first-time buyers who are seeking to buy a new home, but who cannot quite secure the full mortgage amount to do so at the present time. The equity support provided will help them to secure their own home by bridging the gap between the mortgage available to them and the cost of the home that is suitable to meet their needs. The eligibility criteria for these schemes is being finalised along with other elements of the detailed drafting of the Bill. However, it is not anticipated that there will be any restriction on eligible households purchasing homes under both affordable schemes from accessing mortgages from retail institutions.

In relation to the location which is the subject of the question, Serviced Sites Fund (SSF) funding has been made available for six proposed developments in the Cork County administrative area, one of which was for 50 affordable homes on land at Cammogue, Kinsale with funding of just over €2.8m.  This project is being led and managed by Cork County Council. I understand that the Council is presently undertaking the design of the proposed housing scheme on this site with a view to bringing forward a Part 8 planning application for the development of the site later this year.

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