Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees

Thursday, 23 February 2023

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government

Estimates for Public Services 2023
Vote 16 - Tailte Éireann (Further Revised)
Vote 23 - Electoral Commission (Further Revised)
Vote 34 - Housing, Local Government and Heritage (Further Revised)

Photo of Darragh O'BrienDarragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I will make two quick points. Under the affordable housing fund for local authority-led affordable housing, we saw the first homes being built and sold last year. There were some issues with conveyancing that have been rectified. We have approved 42 schemes throughout the country and these will deliver more than 3,000 so far for affordable purchase, let by the local authorities.

On cost rental, we want local authorities to do it where it is appropriate. We have a number of schemes to deliver cost rental that have come in from local authorities and these are being reviewed right now. It makes sense for them financially as well, because they can borrow at a lower rate. Cost rental is a popular form of tenure and we have approved about 1,000 tenancies so far. We are working on some amendments to the cost rental equity loan, CREL, itself. It is the first year it has been up and running, but we have some amendments to improve viability on it.

Croí Cónaithe is basically the apartment activation fund. It was a significant positive decision from the Commission. That scheme is about activating permissions in our five cities for apartments for people to purchase. We have gone though this on an open book basis. There are 15 schemes in that and these would deliver just short of 2,000 apartments. We are going through stage 2 approvals right now, having got Commission approval. I am confident a number of the 15 schemes will be able to start this year. That is for home buyers in our cities and making it so people are able to buy in our cities again.