Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Since the publication of Rebuilding Ireland: Action Plan for Housing and Homelessness, the focus has been very much on implementation and driving an acceleration in housing delivery. To this end, I have visited a number of local authorities and have met all the chief executives. I have assured them that they will have the necessary support and resources to deliver on Rebuilding Ireland.

In terms of staffing associated with the delivery of housing, local authorities have been rebuilding their resource base for some time now. Since January 2015, my Department has received 518 staffing requests, of which 502 have been approved, with the remaining 16 pending awaiting further information. These posts are varied and include planners, technicians, surveyors, engineers, project managers, housing welfare officers, building inspectors, clerks of works and administrative staff. Arrangements are in place under which certain staffing costs associated with the roll-out of the social housing capital programme can be recouped as part of project costs, providing an important support for local authorities.

In terms of funding, the social housing element of Rebuilding Ireland proposes a significantly increased level of ambition, aiming for the delivery of 47,000 social housing units through new builds, refurbishment, acquisitions and leasing over the 2016 to 2021 period, supported by Exchequer investment of some €5.35 billion. A further €200 million is being provided for the local infrastructure housing activation fund which, as the Deputy knows, is being competed for at the moment.

In addition, Rebuilding Ireland will deliver innovations to improve, support and accelerate delivery at local authority level. These include building on streamlining and efficiencies already introduced for the social housing approval process, streamlining the Part 8 planning process for local authority development and time limited changes to the planning process for housing more generally, with large scale projects of 100 units or more being submitted directly to An Bord Pleanála for decision following a statutory pre-planning consultation period at local authority level.

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