Malcolm Noonan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

My Department, under Housing for All, has set social housing targets for all local authorities. Cork County Council has a target delivery of 3,198 units over the period 2022 to 2026. The council's approved housing delivery action plan is published on its website, along with details of social housing needs for each settlement in the county. In 2022, Cork County Council has supported an approved housing body proposal from Carbery Housing Association for the development of six units, five one-bedroom bungalows and one three-bedroom house, and future service provision for three further plots on Sherkin Island. In addition, the council has supported the provision of two turnkey units on Sherkin Island, which are currently in the planning process.

The unique group of islands off the coast of County Cork have a discrete set of requirements due to their geographical location. The island communities, however, have an unparalleled reputation for resourcefulness in surviving daunting physical and economic conditions and have retained, and even developed, their unique cultural identity. The islands are an important part of the culture, heritage, economy and tourism appeal of the county. To reflect the importance of developing the islands, the Cork county development plan contains specific objectives directed at addressing their requirements, including supporting the islands, economic development of the islands, development proposals on the islands and uninhabited islands. Cork County Council has assured our Department that it will continue to monitor the demand for housing on the islands and will examine options for the direct construction of dwellings, if suitable sites become available, as well as seeking expressions of interest for turnkey developments countywide, including on the islands, on an annual basis.

Separately, but related, our Department is working closely with the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media on planning matters in Gaeltacht areas, which, as we know, includes Oileán Chléire. Our aim is to achieve a uniform and consistent approach to planning across the Gaeltacht regions to aid both planning authorities and developers to contribute to the language planning process and to protect the linguistic integrity of the Gaeltacht. I will come back to the Deputy with a supplementary answer on further points.

See this speech in context