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

The Government recently established the Land Development Agency, LDA, for the purpose of developing affordable and social housing on State lands. The LDA also works to procure housing units more broadly for cost rental and affordable purchase. The Housing Agency separately provides a range of housing functions and services, including assisting local authorities to deliver their housing programmes.

In this context, it is not clear that establishing another housing agency would see any increase in overall housing delivery, in particular when housing supply is increasing. I fundamentally disagree with the Deputy about the Government not delivering and the chain of supply not happening. It is happening at pace. Almost 30,000 homes were built in 2022. This significant uplift in supply has continued in 2023, with almost 31,000 completions in the year ending March 2023. This is the first time since 2009 that rolling 12-month completions have surpassed 30,000. The uptick in commencements in quarter 4 of 2022 has also continued into 2023. Almost 13,000 homes commenced construction between January and May this year, which is the most for this period since records began in 2014, and is an increase of 7% on the same period last year.

Housing for All is clearly having an impact, with more homes being built now than ever. I am optimistic we will meet our overall targets for new homes in 2023, and the recent substantial uplift can be sustained and built upon in coming years if we maintain our focus on existing actions under Housing for All. We are delivering, and we are delivering at pace across all housing types - cost rental, affordable and others, as well as the infrastructure needed to put them in. We certainly do not see a need to create a State construction company.

See this speech in context