Ms Breege Kilkenny:

In Wicklow we prepared our social housing supply strategy in line with the Rebuilding Ireland programme, and the social housing supply element comes specifically under Pillars 2 and 3 to accelerate and build the new homes. The first thing we did in Wicklow was to undertake a local authority landbank assessment. This indicated that, even if we were to develop on every piece of land that the local authority owned and that was zoned for housing, we would have only approximately 800 units. Given the numbers on the social housing needs assessment, it was very clear from the outset that Wicklow could not address the housing needs on its own. We applied a multifaceted approach. We had to build up our in-house team. We developed partnerships with the approved housing bodies, engaged with the private sector under the Part V turnkeys, and have a PPP development in Wicklow town. We also procured some architect-led teams to advance our larger schemes, and we are working with the Department to expedite delivery through that four-stage approval process. We are also engaged in purchasing and leasing of units. We considered every avenue to provide social housing for the people of Wicklow.

We commenced our social housing supply strategy in 2015 and prepared a priority list 1. This was developed under the original national document housing strategy 2020 under the previous Government. This consisted of 12 schemes, four of which will be delivered this year within the next couple of months, providing a total of 45 units for 2018. A further eight schemes on our priority list 1 will be commenced in 2018 with delivery expected in 2019, bringing our overall priority list 1 close to 200 units by the end of 2019 under this phase. In 2016, we revised our social housing supply strategy following publication of the Government's Rebuilding Ireland document.

We developed a priority list 2, which consisted of an additional 22 schemes. Of those, 12 will consist of six rapid builds and six of traditional builds commencing early in 2019, with the other ten schemes commencing before the year end.

As Mr. Lane alluded to, we learned from the first phase and moved away from small infill schemes that yielded only a small number of units towards rapid build on larger sites giving a larger number of units. The smaller infill schemes were consolidated for collaboration with the approved housing bodies, and we directed our efforts and resources towards achieving the Part VIII through the council and contracting the administration to outside architects and consultants.

Wicklow has been given a target of 1,225 social housing units by the Department but, with the work we have put into our social housing strategy, Wicklow will reach beyond this to 1,327 units. We will exceed Government targets by 102 units by 2021.

As well as our own local authority build programme, a multifaceted approach for social housing supply will be provided through other mechanisms. That will include some remediation work, our existing stock voids and, as Deputy Boyd Barrett said, many of these will be re-lettings.

Through direct negotiation with the developers on our own behalf and by the approved housing bodies, AHBs, the amount of turnkeys and social housing under Part V is significant in Wicklow through acquisitions and partnerships with the AHBs for schemes under the capital advance leasing facility, CALF, and local authority land. That will yield an additional 250 units.

Under Wicklow's social housing supply strategy from 2015 to 2021, the local authority new build will consist of 677 units and other mechanisms will provide 650 units, giving a total of 1,327 units. Essentially, 50% will be our own construction and 50% will be built through other mechanisms. That does not include HAP or RAS.