Eoghan Murphy (Dublin Bay South, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

My Department has examined housing affordability in consultation with the Housing Agency, local authorities and other stakeholders as part of the targeted review of Rebuilding Ireland. The review is now at an advanced stage and I expect to be in a position to announce details of the outcome, including any additional measures, in the coming weeks.

All local authorities have been requested to prepare strategic development and management plans for residential lands in their ownership to ensure they are brought forward for development at the earliest opportunity. My Department facilitated a workshop for local authorities in July of this year to commence this process. Once all the plans have been reviewed and finalised, they will be made available publicly on the dedicated Rebuilding Ireland website, as well as the website of the relevant local authority.

Utilising rapid build and other innovative construction technologies can accelerate housing provision as timeframes are considerably shorter than for traditional build. To date, my Department's focus in respect of this form of house-building has been on encouraging its use for accelerated delivery of social housing, and considerable progress is being made in this regard.

The question of utilising rapid-build methodologies for affordable housing will ultimately be a matter for consideration in the context of individual projects. My Department's immediate focus is on considering the income limits and other eligibility considerations for such a scheme, as well as overall value for money. As I indicated earlier, I expect to be in a position to announce further details of measures in this regard in the coming weeks.

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