Cairn Homes gets lukewarm response from senior civil servant to 'affordable rent' pitch

Secretary-general of the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform, Robert Watt. Photo: Sam Boal/RollingNews.ie

A request for government funding for a new, long-term affordable rent initiative proposed by a leading property developer was given a lukewarm reception by one of the country’s top civil servants over the summer.

The secretary-general of the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform, Robert Watt, claimed Cairn Homes was looking for more support for its housing initiative from taxpayers at a time when the State was “already meeting part of the costs for too many households”.