Dáil debates

Tuesday, 8 October 2019

Financial Resolutions - Budget Statement 2020

 

1:35 pm

Photo of Paschal DonohoePaschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

-----to invest in approved housing bodies.

Homelessness

Despite the significant investment in homelessness in the past couple of years, the numbers in receipt of homeless services of course remains too high. Therefore, I am allocating a further €20 million for homeless services, bringing total funding to €166 million in 2020. This will provide support to citizens in emergency accommodation and increase preventative measures, long-term support and day services.

Social Housing

In the area of social housing, I am allocating capital funding of over €1.1 billion to support the delivery of over 11,000 new social homes in 2020. A further 12,000 units will be delivered in 2021. I am providing an additional €80 million for the housing assistance payment scheme next year. This funding will support the existing tenancies availing of the payment, as well as an additional 15,750 new tenancies next year.

Affordability

In order to assist with the provision of new and affordable homes, an additional €17.5 million is being provided to the Land Development Agency and €186 million is being allocated for the serviced sites fund and the local infrastructure housing activation fund in 2020.

Regeneration and Development

The Government is making €130 million of investment available for urban regeneration and development funding, which will support projects that will contribute to the rejuvenation of our main cities and large towns.

Rental Market

The high cost of renting is a key concern for the Government. In response, we have introduced rent pressure zones and there are now 44 in operation throughout the State. In budget 2020, I am providing almost €2 million in additional funding to the Residential Tenancies Board to support its increased powers to investigate and sanction non-compliance with rent pressure zone measures.

Help to Buy

To date, some 15,000 new homes have been purchased or built by first-time buyers under the help to buy scheme. To provide certainty to those who are hoping to buy their first home soon and to those who are planning and building those homes, I am extending the incentive in its current form-----

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