Damien English (Meath West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Budget 2018 provides one of the biggest funding programmes for housing in the history of the State with over €1.9 billion to be spent on housing solutions next year. This, together with additional funding provided for later years, will ensure we are well placed to continue to build on the progress already made in meeting the diverse range of the housing needs of our citizens and deliver on the ambitious targets under the Rebuilding Ireland programme. If we stick to this plan and continue with this investment of money, we will solve the current housing difficulties.

The extra €600 million provided, a 46% increase in funding for next year, will allow us to meet the housing needs of some 25,500 households and to focus increasingly on direct construction. The additional €500 million in capital secured as part of the review of the capital plan will allow the overall Rebuilding Ireland social housing budget target to be increased from 47,000 houses to 50,000, the figure recommended by the all-party Oireachtas Committee on Housing and Homelessness last year.

The total funding envelope has increased from €5.35 billion to €6 billion. Such a significant commitment of taxpayers' money, the highest ever in the State's history, proves untrue the argument that the Government is not for building social houses. There is a range of measures to tackle house vacancy and affordability which will be announced over the weeks ahead. The Traveller accommodation budget has increased again this year by over 50% with over €12 million to be spent in 2018. The housing adaptation grant scheme will have increased funding of €5 million bringing it to €53 million. It will help over 11,000 existing homes to be adapted to cater for people's new needs.

The national urban regeneration programme continues to make major progress in areas in Dublin, Cork, Limerick and other urban centres. Its budget has been increased by over €60 million. The social housing we are delivering is of a higher quality than it was years ago. We will continue to invest in improving the old housing stock. Next year €25 million will be provided to fund upgrade works on 9,000 homes to make them more energy efficient. The funding for the pyrite remediation scheme has been increased with an extra 30% increase bringing it to €30 million.

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