Emer Higgins (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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37. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the status of progress regarding the town centre first initiative; when this process is likely to conclude and be implemented; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22615/21]

Seán Canney (Galway East, Independent)
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44. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government if he will introduce a scheme to support owners of buildings within towns and villages to refurbish these properties and bring them into use as residential units within town and village centres; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22874/21]

Emer Higgins (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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We need foreign investment in our housing markets but we need it to stimulate the supply of housing by funding the building of apartment blocks. We do not need what happened in Maynooth. That is the exact opposite of what young couples of my age who want to own their own homes need. That is why we need the Minister to limit the powers of these investment funds. They should not be allowed to buy up two-bedroom and three-bedroom houses that are already built. That is not putting people first. Will the Minister of State provide an update on the Town Centre First initiative?

Peter Burke (Longford-Westmeath, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 37 and 44 together.

While our towns and villages have shown remarkable resilience through the recent crisis, they require specific policy supports to ensure they will continue to function as viable, vibrant and attractive locations for people to live, work and raise families, to act and serve as cultural and recreational hubs for the surrounding areas and to facilitate social and community interaction. In this context, the programme for Government committed to developing the Town Centre First initiative. With a view to giving effect to this commitment and the actions outlined in the programme for Government, a Town Centre First interdepartmental group was established in November 2020 to consider the regeneration of towns and villages. The group is jointly chaired by the Departments of Housing, Local Government and Heritage and Rural and Community Development.

In parallel, a Town Centre First advisory group was established to enable the experiences of a broader group of stakeholders to be brought to bear in informing the process of policy development and will support the work of the interdepartmental group. Following the initial development stages through the forum of the interdepartmental group and the advisory group, four key pillars are in development as part of the Town Centre First framework via the support of dedicated working groups tasked with addressing governance and enabling structures, an economic and social purpose, a living towns approach and investment and resources.

Work has progressed well and draft working group papers are being developed for discussion, initially with the interdepartmental group, in the coming weeks. There is a general consensus among all the groups that there is no one solution or issue that can or should be addressed in isolation but rather that a Town Centre First framework should be holistic and capable of being tailored to address the individual needs, size and characteristics of a town. Until such time as this work has been further progressed and measures developed and agreed, it would be premature to comment on the specific matters raised. The aim is that the interdepartmental group will provide recommendations for consideration by the Government in June. It is envisaged that these recommendations will cover the short, medium and longer terms to 2040 to align with Project Ireland 2040.

Emer Higgins (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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Recently, €5 million in funding for a connected hubs fund was announced. This is a really welcome initiative for people who are looking to work flexibly or closer to home. The fund is, however, targeted at existing remote working hubs, which means that prime locations such as Rathcoole on the N7, or Lucan and Adamstown just off the N4, cannot apply. Will projects in these areas be eligible for funding under any of the Town Centre First plans? Will the Minister of State be looking at how we can invest in living towns farther down the country to allow for flexible working?

Peter Burke (Longford-Westmeath, Fine Gael)
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Living towns and the hubs to which the Deputy has referred will be key elements and tenets of what we do as we assess what will assist workers and communities and as we develop a sustainable model to grow our towns. We have had a number of bilateral engagements with the Minister for Rural and Community Development, Deputy Humphreys, and her Department with a view to expanding the network of remote working hubs. As the Deputy referenced, a number have already been established. I understand that the Minister has put a call out for another round, which will allow for more hubs. It is very important that we offer viable opportunities for communities to ensure that they have the capacity to engage in remote working. We must also ensure that they have broadband and any other key elements required to carry out their functions as vibrant communities. These issues will be studied. As I referenced in my initial response, we have had a pilot programme with respect to six towns at which we have looked before. We have learned from that and will be formulating a proposal for the Government halfway through this year.

Emer Higgins (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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I thank the Minister of State for that reply. Remote working can really help us with our housing plans as well as it will give people the freedom to live outside of our urban town centres and big population areas. I will take this opportunity to commend the Government for the approval the Cabinet gave for the new Housing for All initiatives this week. We will have our first scheme for affordable housing on public land, our first ever cost-rental initiative, an affordable purchase shared equity scheme for people who can purchase homes in private developments and the extension of the Part V provisions so that 20% of homes will be ring-fenced for social and affordable housing. We are making great progress in this area and I look forward to seeing the results.

Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent)
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Before the Minister of State responds, two more Deputies wish to speak.

David Stanton (Cork East, Fine Gael)
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Does the Minister agree with the report of Chambers Ireland, made available last year, which states that, if all vacant properties in towns, villages and cities around the country were made available, 18,000 new homes could be activated? Does he agree that this would require incentives and a carrot-and-stick approach? I am sure the Minister of State knows, as I do, that there are small villages all over the country in which 20 properties may be lying idle. Dealing with this requires an incentive on one end and some kind of penalty on the other for owners who decide to leave such properties lying idle. Will the Minister of State comment on that?

Kieran O'Donnell (Limerick City, Fine Gael)
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I have spoken to the Minister and told him that I welcome the return of the requirement for 10% of homes in new estates to be sold as affordable housing. It is a measure that should never have been dropped. It should have been continued. It is a sustainable model. It goes without saying that it is highly important that towns and villages be rejuvenated but I ask that this be done in a sustainable way. The density guidelines currently in operation outside of Dublin are not sustainable. If the densities are in the mid-30s, we are looking at large apartment blocks. That is not sustainable in towns, villages and even in suburban areas outside of Dublin. Young people want to be able to buy starter homes. Apartments are needed but we must have an integrated model. It is something at which the Minister of State might look at in the context of this and the whole issue of building outside Dublin.

Peter Burke (Longford-Westmeath, Fine Gael)
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I thank Deputy Higgins for her comments, for articulating aspects of the affordable housing Bill and for all her good work on the Joint Committee on Housing, Local Government and Heritage. She has been very articulate on it. On the comments of the other Members, Deputy Stanton has raised the issue of derelict homes on a number of occasions. We have a stick approach in the form of the vacant sites levy. It was 3% of the market valuation until 2018 and has increased to 7% for sites listed on local authority vacant sites registers from 2019 onwards. As part of our Town Centre First initiative, of whose advisory group Chambers Ireland and similar actors are members, we must consider how we can adopt a carrot approach to unlock these brownfield and infill sites and derelict buildings and to open them up. That is very important. That will increase the vibrancy and we are working hard to deliver that.

In response to Deputy O'Donnell, I absolutely concur on the density issues. I issued a circular in connection with the matter last week. I am absolutely willing to meet with the Deputy to discuss the matter further.