Damien English (Meath West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

My role regarding Part V of the Planning and Development Act 2000 is to provide the policy and legislative framework, while the day-to-day administration and operation of Part V are a matter for the local authorities. Senator Humphreys will, no doubt, be aware that following an independent review of Part V, completed in 2014, which included a detailed and lengthy consultation process and which took into account the general housing market trends at that time, the requirement was reduced from 20% to 10%, effective from 1 September 2015.My Department subsequently issued statutory guidelines to local authorities on the amended Part V rules. These guidelines recommended that the acquisition of units on the development site be the preferred option for local authorities. However, each local authority must make sure its Part V agreements constitute the best use of financial resources available and that unit sizes meet social housing requirements.

My Department considers all requests from local authorities for sanction for funding of the acquisition of units under Part V in light of construction costs in the area, and also one of the key aims of Part V, the general social integration, which is a very important one.

Senators will know that Part V is just one constituent part of the significant efforts being made by this Government to deliver the social housing supports that Ireland needs in the coming years. These efforts are backed up by an unprecedented level of investment under the Rebuilding Ireland action plan. More than €6 billion of taxpayers' money will be spent during the lifetime of that plan delivering in excess of 50,000 social housing homes, as well as many more supports through the private rental market. Part V homes are expected to deliver just under 5,000 of the overall total and as the construction sector recovers and delivery increases, so too does our dividend in terms of Part V. It is encouraging to see their numbers increase year on year because they not only deliver additional stock but make a vital contribution, as I mentioned, in terms of promoting social integration and developing more positive sustainable communities - a benefit to all of Irish society. I know Senator Humphreys agrees with that. That is probably part of what the debate on this Commencement matter is about, namely, to ensure that we still achieve that.

We are very much about delivering the social housing we need as a nation. We are also very well aware of the need to build those sustainable mixed tenure communities all over Ireland. In general, this approach works well across the country. Unfortunately there are occasions when our two key objectives of increased delivery and social integration can come into some conflict. When this happens we must be pragmatic, constructive and seek to strike the right balance. Such a scenario tends to happen in what might be termed more "high-end" developments.

As to areas such as the Dublin Docklands, all options for the delivery of Part V homes are explored, including the most cost-effective way of delivering much-needed social housing units in these specific electoral areas. Alternatives can, if required, be explored, particularly off-site development nearby which delivers more homes for the same price. In other words, there is the option in some scenarios for some land swaps or for some land to be given in terms of housing. My Department is committed to working with the council to help find that balance and to deliver solutions that increase our social housing stock in the places where they are needed but at a price that is acceptable to the Exchequer. That is a decision that has to be made locally as we tease through the different sites.

On the Deputy's attempt to suggest that changes we have made with respect to apartments sizes, car parking spaces, and height strategy are delaying matters, we have to make necessary changes to effect the overall supply of housing now and well into the future. We have the Rebuilding Ireland document, which is a strategy for social housing and housing in general. We are reaching all the targets set in terms of what we want to deliver, both in the private sector and the public sector. We are bang on target right across the board. The Central Statistics Office figures confirmed that last week.

Furthermore, the changes we have made might in some cases on different sites generate new applications, but it has been confirmed that the overall supply of housing is up by 25%. Commencement notices are up by more than 50%. With respect to some sites, there will be chop and change but the overall delivery is up and the trend is positive.

We believe the changes we have made regarding the height strategy, car parking spaces and so on will increase the supply and mix of housing coming onstream which we badly need. Those are changes that were probably put off for many years by previous Governments but we have made them now and I have no doubt they will effect supply in a positive way in the future. One can select one or two sites and argue over them but we have had to make decisions in the round to increase the supply of housing well into the future.