Eoin Ó Broin (Dublin Mid West, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

12. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government his plans in conjunction with local authorities and other bodies to deliver the agreed number of social and affordable homes in strategic development zones, SDZs, such as at Poolbeg and Clonburris and land initiatives such as O'Devaney Gardens and the Grange. [45349/17]

Eoin Ó Broin (Dublin Mid West, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

This question is very straightforward. There has been very good co-operation between the Department officials, Dublin City Council, local councillors and the local community with regard to the Poolbeg strategic development zone, SDZ. This resulted in an increase in the total amount of social and affordable housing to be made available. I welcome that and I also welcome the work of the Minister and his officials on this. The question now is how to deliver the affordable units on that site. Will the Minister give us any insight into what progress his Department is making with the city council, the community and the councillors to achieve that end?

Eoghan Murphy (Dublin Bay South, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I too want to see the optimum delivery of social and affordable housing as quickly as possible from all large strategic housing sites. In respect of local authority sites, their development, including tenure mix, is in the first instance a matter for each council and its elected members.

The Government has put in place more than €6 billion in multi-annual funding for social housing. Local authorities and approved housing bodies are currently working on a significant construction programme of more than 11,000 new homes. My Department continues to support and work with local authorities to develop their major housing development sites. At this point, all the sites have been mapped on the Rebuilding Ireland housing land map, which is accessible on the Rebuilding Ireland website, and all local authorities are in the process of finalising and submitting strategic development plans for their respective landbanks.

Housing affordability has been examined by my Department as part of the targeted review of Rebuilding Ireland, taking account of the measures already taken and those announced as part of budget 2018. The outcome of this, including any additional measures, will be outlined in the coming weeks.

Of the 3,500 homes planned to be delivered within the Poolbeg strategic development zone, SDZ, it is intended that 350 units will be delivered as social units under Part V. In addition, a further 550 will be delivered under a commercial agreement, with the majority earmarked for affordable homes but with potential for additional social housing, particularly designed for older people. In terms of other SDZs, it is open to local authorities to propose a similar approach with the planning schemes. My Department will be happy to engage on any such proposal.

Eoin Ó Broin (Dublin Mid West, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

The key issue here is the 550 affordable homes to be made available on the Poolbeg site because this is not public land. It is privately owned land that is currently in the hands of the receiver. The question arises as to how we ensure genuinely affordable homes. I remind the House of the price ranges I spoke of earlier of houses between €170,000 and €280,000. This would meet the needs of families on incomes of between €45,000 and €75,000. It is not clear. Dublin City Council has said to councillors and the community that because of the lack of clarity from the Department the council is not sure how these affordable homes will be delivered.

I am also interested in this because Clonburris in my constituency also has strategic development zone consultation under way. We want to be in a position to support this if we can ensure affordable housing on that site. As the Minister knows South Dublin County Council owns 25% of the land in that area. This means we could have a total public housing output of 35%, which would be very positive. We want to know how the funding will be secured to deliver genuinely affordable homes, especially for the families in the Ringsend area of the Poolbeg site, and in the context of the Clonburris site for the families in the Clondalkin and Lucan areas which I represent.

Eoghan Murphy (Dublin Bay South, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

The Deputy made reference to the Clonburris strategic development zone. The Deputy is aware that on 15 December 2015, the lands were designated as SDZ and that South Dublin County Council has prepared a draft planning scheme. This consists of a written statement around the plans indicating the type and extent of development to be permitted in the Clonburris SDZ, together with proposals relating to the design of the development, transportation, provision of services, the minimisation of any adverse impacts on the environment and the provision of amenities, facilities and services for the community. This draft scheme is currently subject to public consultation, which will conclude very shortly on 3 November 2017. When we see what comes from the public consultation hopefully it can arrive at a mix - the Deputy had suggested that. This would be welcome. We could then see exactly how we could manage to put that in place.

If we look at what we have achieved in terms of the SDZ for Poolbeg and the Ringsend area, the planning scheme was approved by Dublin City Council on 2 October. I am committed to working with the council to deliver the social and affordable units on that plan. The mixed tenure is, of course, very important to everything we are trying to achieve as a Government. On foot of a material amendment, 900, or nearly 26%, of the 3,500 new homes on the SDZ lands will be delivered as social and affordable houses. It was looking at a 10% or 15% mix within that, but of the 15% affordable housing it might be more appropriate to deliver some of those as social housing, especially for older people. Again, as we build homes we must ensure that we protect and regenerate new communities. It is intended that an agreement for those additional 550 new homes, with confirmed funding, would be entered into between the city council, the receiver and my Department prior to the commencement of the development, the majority of which will be earmarked for affordable housing with some for social housing. There will be an agreement between those stakeholders, with confirmed funding behind it.