James Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail)

I thank the Deputy for this important question around targets for the delivery of cost-rental and affordable purchase homes by local authorities, approved housing bodies and the LDA under the Government's new housing plan.

Affordability and the chance to own a home is at the heart of Government's housing policy, as embodied within the new housing plan, Delivering Homes, Building Communities 2025-2030. Government is investing an unprecedented level of funding to support new housing delivery, which will underpin the new starter homes programme, delivering an average of 15,000 affordable housing supports annually to 2030.

To further drive the delivery of affordable housing under the plan, local authorities will shortly commence the preparation of new housing delivery action plans. It is intended that the plans will set out how the starter homes programme will be implemented in each area, including the full suite of affordable housing supports to be provided and taking account of local and national affordability needs. They should be responsive to the housing system landscape in each area, as it is evident that starter homes supports needs and requirements vary by location.

The preparation of housing delivery action plans for starter homes will be undertaken by local authorities, in close collaboration with their delivery partners, including the LDA, and approved housing bodies. Each local authority's starter homes programme, as outlined in its housing delivery action plan, will be informed by the housing needs and demand assessment framework, which will assist in identifying and quantifying new housing need with affordability constraint within their administrative area. Quarterly housing delivery reports will continue to be published on the Department's website, tracking the progress of affordable delivery output in each local authority area. The delivery of 300,000 homes and 15,000 starter homes supports, over the lifetime of the plan, is ambitious but it is achievable.

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