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

As outlined in my response to an earlier question, two affordable housing fund supported schemes will deliver affordable housing in Cork city this year. Cork City Council has advised my Department that the first two phases of the Boherboy Road project in Cork city, involving a total of 117 affordable purchase homes, will see 37 of those homes completed. They will be advertised for purchase in July. In addition, the advance purchase development at Cluain Chaoin in Tower will deliver 36 affordable purchase homes in two phases. I understand that the scheme of priority in respect of phase 1 of this development is to be presented to Cork City Council on Monday, 11 July and, if adopted - we need the city council to do that - that scheme will also be advertised in July. That is an advance purchase arrangement that we provided the funds for to bring more affordable homes in.

Approval in principle has also been confirmed for approximately 900 new cost rental homes to be delivered in urban centres by approved housing bodies, AHBs, under the cost rental equity loan scheme to the period 2023. Of these initial approvals, approximately 150 are scheduled to be delivered in Cork city in 2022 and 2023, across four different sites. The first 73 cost rental homes in Cork city at Lancaster Gate will be later this year. I had the pleasure of visiting that last year and seeing the work ongoing. The Land Development Agency, LDA, is currently developing and working on the former HSE site at St. Kevin's Hospital in Cork city. The LDA has secured planning, thankfully, for 265 social and affordable homes. These homes are expected at the end of 2023. We expect to break ground in St. Kevin's in Cork this year.

I will come back with further information in my supplementary response.

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