Greens call for cost-rental housing on Fingal public lands

The Green Party today called for Fingal County Council to develop cost-rental public housing on public lands in Fingal. The call came following the announcement that Fingal County Council is to seek to develop housing at Ballymastone in Donabate.

 

Speaking today, Green Party Councillor on Fingal County Council, David Healy, said that cost-rental offers better value for money for the Council, and would offer secure, high-quality rental accommodation to families.

 

He said: “Austria, the Netherlands, and Denmark all use the cost rental model to deliver thousands of high quality, affordable, secure rental homes every year. We should be looking to this model for the public lands at Ballymastone, Donabate.

 

“There are over 100,000 families on the housing waiting list, across the country. In other countries, cost rental is desirable, high quality accommodation. There is mixed tenure – it’s not just for those on the housing list. We want to see that replicated here. Social Justice Ireland, the National Economic and Social Council (NESC) and the Nevin Economic Research Institute (NERI) all recommend cost rental as a means to address the housing crisis.

 

“Cost rental is sustainable, financially and socially, and would really strengthen the community in Donabate. We’re calling for Fingal County Council to adopt this model, and develop high quality cost rental public housing at Ballymastone.”

 

In March this year, Dáil Éireann passed a Green Party motion calling for cost rental housing to be developed on publicly owned land banks.