Ann Phelan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I move:

That the Joint Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht approves the following Policy Directive (in draft) entitled:Planning and Development (Urgent Social Housing Supply) Policy Directive 2015

Chairman and members, on behalf of the Minister, Deputy Alan Kelly, I welcome the opportunity this afternoon to discuss the motion that the committee approve this draft policy directive on urgent social housing supply.

As members will see from its title, this draft policy directive relates to the housing situation that we currently face. Specifically, it relates to the unprecedented and increasing number of homeless families who are presenting - particularly in the Dublin area - with consequential disruptive effects on family life and on the health and well-being of the children in particular.

To put this in context, of the 637 families currently homeless in the Dublin region, 401, consisting of 534 adults and 843 children, are being accommodated in unsuitable arrangements in hotels.

The Minister, Deputy Kelly, is extremely concerned about this increasing phenomenon; the situation that the new capacity being created by various housing solutions currently being implemented is not sufficient to accommodate the numbers now presenting; and, the consequential urgent need to accelerate the provision of housing to address the accommodations needs of homeless households, and especially homeless families, in the region.

To help address this issue, the Government has approved a comprehensive programme of measures including the initial delivery of 500 modular housing units for the Dublin region. The purpose of this programme of measures is to help reduce the number of homeless families in hotels by providing more appropriate accommodation. These units will provide emergency accommodation in the first instance. While the placement of households in these units will be on a temporary basis, they will offer a greater level of stability than the alternative of hotel accommodation while options for long-term living are being secured.

It is intended to have the first 150 of the units delivered in the Dublin City Council area, with the city council expecting the delivery of an initial 22 units by December, a further 128 units to follow in the first quarter of 2016 through a fast–tracked procurement process and 350 units across the Dublin region by mid-2016. This compares with a timeframe of up to two years to provide conventional social housing units.

In light of this and to support the use of the fastest planning process in order for the modular units to be in place as quickly as possible, the Minister, Deputy Kelly indicated his intention to issue a policy directive under section 29 of the Planning and Development Act 2000, as amended, addressed to the four Dublin planning authorities. A draft policy directive has been prepared in this regard and, as required, has been laid before both Houses of the Oireachtas. The purpose of the draft policy directive is to remind those planning authorities of the statutory provisions of section 179 of the Planning and Development Act 2000, as amended, and the related Part 8 provisions in the Planning and Development Regulations 2001, as amended. These provisions set out the procedure for local authority own development, such as the provision of new housing developments.

In the context of discharging these functions, and in particular the need to provide urgent social housing to meet the needs of homeless families, the draft policy directive directs these planning authorities to utilise all powers available to them under section 179, as appropriate, for the purpose of finding solutions to the social housing situation currently faced and accelerating the delivery of social housing developments to address the urgent and increasing need for social housing accommodation in the Dublin region. Subject to Oireachtas approval, this policy directive will issue to the Dublin planning authorities under section 29 of the Planning and Development Act 2000, as amended and the four planning authorities will be bound to comply with the directive.

The legislative basis for a policy directive underpins and strengthens any policy direction the Minister may wish to issue. The issuing of a policy directive in the context of the delivery of social housing will underscore the importance of the expeditious delivery of this programme of modular housing, as approved by the Government. It is essential that this programme is expeditiously implemented. From a planning perspective, this draft policy directive is aimed at doing just that – supporting the programme and the relevant planning authorities that are delivering it.

Addressing the current problems in the Irish housing market is a key Government priority, as can be seen from the recently announced package of measures entitled “Stabilising Rents, Boosting Supply” aimed at improving stability in the private rental sector and supporting increased housing supply. The programme for delivery of modular housing supported by the policy directive, implementation of the Construction 2020 strategy and the social housing strategy together with the new housing package, collectively provide a comprehensive framework for ensuring that homes are provided for those who need them.

I thank the committee for the opportunity to discuss this important policy directive and trust it will be approved in order that it can be issued to the relevant planning authorities.