Fianna Fáil Seanad Spokesperson on Housing, Senator Mary Fitzpatrick, is calling for affordable homes to be required on private developments. Senator Fitzpatrick made her calls as part of a submission to the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing pre-legislative report on the Affordable Housing Bill.
Along with her Fianna Fáil colleagues, Deputy Paul McAuliffe TD and Deputy Joe Flaherty TD, Senator Fitzpatrick is calling for every Local Authority to set annual targets to build affordable homes to purchase and rent.
Senator Fitzpatrick said, “Our submission to the pre-legislative report on the Affordable Housing Bill is calling for Part V of the Bill to provide for a minimum of 10% affordable purchase homes on all applicable sites.
“The Departments of Housing and Public Expenditure must fast-track approvals for Local Authorities to build social and affordable homes. All County and City Development Plans must set Housing targets based on housing need.”
Their submission to the report outlines that the Shared Equity Scheme should:
• Apply only to new build homes
• Available to owner occupiers and first-time buyer applicants
• Applicants paying more in rent than they would in a mortgage
• Local Price Caps for qualifying affordable homes to be applied