Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

This is the question in the name of Deputy Ó Broin.

Investment in social and affordable housing is a major component of the State's capital expenditure. Under Housing for All, there is to be a sum of over €4 billion per year, which dwarfs the €2.9 billion the Deputy's party proposed as part of its submission on Housing for All.

As Minister, it is my duty to ensure that capital investment projects are prepared and delivered to achieve maximum value for money. The Deputy might agree with that. The public spending code sets out the value-for-money requirements for the evaluation, planning and management of public investment projects in Ireland. That is public money – taxpayers' money, Exchequer money.

During project life cycles, sponsoring agencies, or local authorities in the case of social and affordable housing, must consider and evaluate such matters as project rationale, options appraisal, both financial and economic, and procurement strategies. As approving authority, my Department, and the Government in the case of public funding in excess of €100 million, must assess and approve projects as they advance through stages of the life cycle. Considering the question that Deputies Ó Broin and Mitchell put, I do not regard it as appropriate and prudent to set aside the requirements of the public spending code in respect of any proposed public expenditure of this scale. It is incredible that the Deputies would.

Increasing the supply of social and affordable homes is a priority, clearly shown in our Housing for All strategy, on which we just had statements and on which we will have more tomorrow. Following the recent launch of the strategy, I issued last week social housing targets to all chief executives, including in Dublin City Council. Of the national target of over 50,000 new social homes, I am asking Dublin City Council to deliver nearly 9,100 in the years in question through its own projects and working with the Housing Agency.

The site at Oscar Traynor Road is located in an area with a clear need for social housing. My Department and I have consistently supported Dublin City Council's efforts to advance the proposal on the site, including through an agreement in principle on funding the social homes and supporting affordable purchase homes through the affordable housing fund, the serviced site fund. This is specifically what was asked for. I will come back to the Deputy on the other points.

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