More than 4,600 applications have been received for just 195 cost-rental apartments at a new development in Dublin.
The Land Development Agency (LDA) opened applications for cost-rental apartments at Shanganagh Castle in Shankill last week.
The portal remained open for one week and in that time 4,608 applications were received.
Just over 2,200 of the applicants met the eligibility criteria and a lottery will be held in the new year to decide who gets the apartments.
The 195 homes include 19 studio apartments, 40 one-beds, 107 two-beds and 29-three beds.
Cost rental is designed to offer a long-term secure rental option that's typically 25% below market rates.
In Shanganagh Castle, the monthly rent for a studio apartment is €1,175 and the rent for a one-bed is €1,250. The 2-bed apartments are being made available for €1,575 a month and the 3-beds for €1,775.
Applicants for these cost rental homes must have a net household income of below €66,000.
They must also be able to afford the advertised rent, which should not account for more than 35% of their monthly net income.
The Shanganagh Castle Estate is a joint housing project delivered by the LDA and Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council.
The number of applicants for the cost-rental scheme was first reported by the Irish Times.
It comes as the Department of Housing has released new figures showing that 1,866 new social homes were delivered by local authorities and Approved Housing Bodies in the third quarter of 2024, including 946 new-build homes, 421 acquisitions and 499 homes delivered through leasing programmes.
"This delivery of social housing is indicative of the overall progress in the delivery of all types of housing in Ireland," said Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, Darragh O'Brien.
"Housing for All has resulted in a significant uptick in social housing provision, surpassing levels not seen since the 1970s and this positive trajectory is set to continue," Mr O'Brien said.
Sinn Féin has warned however that the Government is on course to miss its social and affordable housing targets for 2024, with a massive shortfall to be made up in the final three months of the year.
"Just 2,119 of the promised 9,300 new build social homes were completed by end of September," said Sinn Féin Housing Spokesperson Eoin Ó Broin.
"Given that this is just 23% of the target it is hard to see how the remaining 77% of units will be completed in just three months to December," Mr Ó Broin said.
