Applications are set to open for the purchase of 52 homes under the affordable housing scheme in Fingal, Dublin.

Homes on offer under the scheme will be a mix of two and three-bedroom houses, with prices for eligible applicants starting at €228,000 for a 2-bedroom, mid-terrace house,  €284,500 for a 3 bed mid-terrace house, and €299,500 for a 3 bed semi-detached house.

The new houses will be located a short distance from Rush town, and will be part of development on a site approximately six acres in size.

Construction of the new homes at Hayestown housing estate is already underway, with the houses expected to be fully completed in 2024.

Applications for those seeking to purchase one of the homes will go live online at 12pm on Tuesday 13th June, 2023.

A 3D render of the new homes being constructed Credit: Fingal County Council

The Mayor of Fingal, Cllr Howard Mahony welcomed today’s announcement, saying: “Affordable housing is the cornerstone of a thriving community that can help empower individuals and families, and help to ensure that everyone has the opportunity to build a brighter future."

"I believe that every resident deserves a safe and comfortable home they can call their own - by nurturing the spirit of affordability in developments like Hayestown, we can help pave the way for inclusivity, stability, and importantly, give people a roof over their head.”

The houses were built with the help of Government funding for the Affordable Housing Fund, aimed at providing first time buyers with accessible options for purchasing. Unfortunately, these "affordable" prices are still far out of reach for many, particularly those paying rent in the capital city.

A staggering 90 percent of earners in Ireland now find average rent unaffordable according to international definitions of affordability. The situation has become so dire that, in December 2021, Dublin ranked as the sixth most expensive capital city in the world to rent in.

Only 10 years ago, housing was deemed affordable in Ireland, with the average house price sitting at €171,000. By 2020, by 2020, house prices had skyrocketed to seven times the median income, which has resulted in 20 percent of households, or approximately one million people, residing in the private rental sector.

The sharp increases in both house prices and rents over the last decade can be attributed directly to government policy, a policy which is dominated by an approach to incentivise, and to give private for profit market-driven mechanisms of big business free rein in the housing provision sector.