HOUSING MINISTER DARRAGH O’Brien and Sinn Féin’s housing spokesperson Eoin Ó Broin have clashed over the cost of homes in a new housing development on State-owned land in south Dublin.
The Shanganagh Castle housing scheme in Shankill, delivered by the Land Development Agency (LDA) and Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council, was launched by Taoiseach Simon Harris and O’Brien today.
It is the largest public housing project in years, and the first of a pipeline of around 20 housing projects to be completed by the Council on state-owned land.
It will consist of a total of 597 houses and apartments, to be launched in phases.
Phase one of the development, which was launched today, includes 51 affordable purchase houses, 195 cost-rental apartments and 35 social apartments.
The 51 houses include 21 two-bed and 30 three-bed homes. They are being made available under the Local Authority Affordable Purchase Scheme, which helps eligible buyers purchase a newly built home at a reduced price.
Depending on an applicant’s income, prices for the two-bed homes range from €334,600 and €430,200.
A three-bed terrace home range from €349,930 to €495,000, depending on its size, while a three-bed semi-detached home range between €374,500 and €481,500.
The 195 cost rental apartments include 19 studios, 40 one-beds, 107 two-beds and 29 three-bed apartments. Rents will start at €1,250.
The social homes include 18 one-bed, eight two-bed, seven three-bed and two four-bed houses. The remaining 316 homes, all of which are apartments, will be made available in two subsequent phases in 2025.
Eligible buyers can apply to purchase the houses on 9 October, while the application portal for the 195 cost-rental apartments will open later this year.
Figures published by the Central Statistics Office this week showed house prices increased by 9.6% in the 12 months to July.
Speaking at the launch today, O’Brien suggested that increasing supply would “absolutely help with affordability” in the private market.
“All of us want to see house prices moderate, and we want to see them affordable,” he said.
“What I’m saying here now is we’re seeing affordable homes here in Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown right now. We’re seeing affordable homes across Dublin, across Cork, across the country, because the state is involved.
“The government is involved and making sure that that happens.”
However, Sinn Féin’s Housing spokesperson Eoin Ó Broin has argued that the homes are not affordable.
Under the First Home Scheme, the State takes a stake in your home in return for providing you with up to 30% of the property price.
In a statement today, Ó Broin said: “While the initial purchase price is lower, the state takes an equity share of up to 30% of your home.
“If you want to own the home outright, you can only pay the equity down in €10,000 lump sums. If you don’t buy out the equity your children will have to pay it when they inherit the home,” he said.
Buyers beware, is neither home ownership nor affordable housing. It is overpriced market housing that is unaffordable to the vast majority of working people.
Ó Broin said it confirms “once again that Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil are neither willing nor able to deliver affordable homes”.
Responding to the remarks, O’Brien said it was “no surprise to see Sinn Féin, the Party which said it would scrap the Land Development Agency, come out against the successful launch of Shanganagh Castle.
“This is the very definition of opposition for opposition sake,” he said.
“Today the first phase of 597 high-quality houses and apartments including affordable purchase, cost rental and social homes were launched. The 51 affordable purchase homes begin at affordable prices from €334,600.”
O’Brien said that eligible buyers will be availing of these homes from that price,and the equity provided by the State “is what makes these homes affordable for buyers”.
“It’s also laughable that the Deputy raises questions about home ownership in his statement when his alternative ‘housing plan’ is one where you don’t own the land the home is built on, he can’t confirm banks will provide mortgages for the homes and two average income workers are not eligible to buy the homes under his plan.”
The Taoiseach, speaking at the launch today, said the Government was using people’s taxes to provide schemes like the Help-to-Buy grant and the First Homes Scheme to afford homes.
He also criticised Sinn Féin’s alternative housing plan, A Home of Your Own, where he said their affordable housing plan to people on a joint income of up to €90,000 a year would leave out senior gardai and nurses, and would also abolish the schemes that they could avail of.
“I think the closer we get to actually scrutinising the alternative, I think people are going to realise, yes, we are living in a country where house prices are still very significantly high, are still too high for too many,” Harris said.
“But that’s why we’re actually helping use the people’s own money by simply giving them some of their own tax back to help them get together a deposit that has helped tens of thousands of people, and (Sinn Féin) want to end that.”
Jim O’Leary, Cathaoirleach of Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council said: “This is a great day for Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council and for the Shanganagh and Shankill areas.
“This is a high-quality estate that will soon to be home to well-served new community. Residents will enjoy a super quality of life with excellent facilities and amenities nearby including Shanganagh Park, Shankill and Bray villages, a planned new Dart station, beautiful beaches stunning coastline and wonderful countryside.”
With reporting from Mairead Maguire and Press Association
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