Victor Boyhan (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister, the Secretary General and his staff for this important and ongoing engagement, as it helps us in our work and in understanding what the Department is about.

I will keep my questions brief and first address action 1.1 in Rebuilding Ireland, which deals with homelessness. It reads: "We will accelerate and expand the Rapid-Build Housing Programme to provide, in the first instance and as a priority, more suitable accommodation for families that are currently residing in commercial hotels". In that regard, the Minister might update us on the delivery of the target of 1,500 new units. I believe there was a target of 1,100 homes by 2021.

The Department organised a number of housing summits and there was considerable discussion about them in the media. How did they go, in particular the local ones? As a result of the summits, the Minister suggested that he would engage with the 31 local authorities. How has that engagement gone? What has come of it? What issues are the local authorities raising? What additional supports do they require? This is an important issue.

Regarding the affordability of the schemes of priority, setbacks were suffered. My local authority of Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council did not necessarily agree with that approach. There was ongoing engagement between the Department and the council's officials and councillors. After a second opportunity to consider the matter, the council agreed a scheme, but the process was disappointing for a number of reasons. I will not comment on them in any great detail, but the Minister might confirm whether all of the local authorities are in agreement about getting on with their schemes of priority in respect of affordable housing.

Galway came up as an issue in the past. There were particular problems with the delivery of housing there last year. Will the Minister talk us through how that is being addressed and dealt with?

I would like to mention one or two other matters. Will the Minister confirm the status of the Land Development Agency's work on the substantial Central Mental Hospital site in Dundrum, which presents great opportunities for the provision of housing?

Action 3.15 relates to affordable housing schemes on State lands. As I have said time and again, there is great potential for the development of State lands such as sites owned by harbour companies, Irish Rail properties, or lands adjoining bus stations. We can use imaginative approaches to move some of the activities based on these sites, especially those in key residential areas, to other places.

I would like to ask the Minister about the potential of Thornton Hall. He might not be able to tell us too much about that site. I think there are challenges and opportunities relating to Thornton Hall.

Will the Minister reach the target of 25,000 new homes this year? He put a certain amount of pressure on himself when he set that target. Will he tell the committee whether he is confident that he can deliver on the target of 25,000 new homes this year?