Barry Cowen (Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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214. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government the status of the final estimated unit cost for the rapid-build units in Poppintree in Ballymun; if on the basis of this project his Department will be recommending the roll-out of this model elsewhere; if a cost-benefit analysis has been or will be undertaken to compare rapid-build housing with other methods of housing delivery; and if he is aware of any other projects where such rapid-build unit projects are planned. [23220/16]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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Following a Government Decision of October 2015, a programme for 500 units of rapid-delivery housing units across the Dublin Region is being implemented to meet the needs of homeless families currently residing in commercial hotels. Under this programme, an initial 22 units at Poppintree, Ballymun, were delivered and fully occupied in May, and another 131 units are expected for completion in the Dublin City Council area by the end of this year. In addition, 44 units are to be delivered in the Fingal County Council area by the end of this year. Under the first phase of the Programme, a further 305 units will be provided for this purpose across the four Dublin authorities.

Building on this, I announced as part of Rebuilding Ireland - Action Plan for Housing and Homelessness published on 19 July 2016, that the total output of the Rapid Build Housing Programme will be increased to 1,500 units, to assist in achieving our aim of moving the existing group of homeless families out of hotels as soon as possible. 200 units will be delivered by the end of this year (as outlined above), 800 in 2017 and a further 500 in 2018. Furthermore, if the units are ultimately not required to meet the needs of homeless families, they will be used by local authorities for general social housing allocations.

In relation to the development at Poppintree, Ballymun, Dublin City Council entered into a contract in November 2015 for the delivery of the 22 rapid-delivery units at a cost of €4.265m excluding VAT. This is the original tender cost and remains the approved cost, equating to approximately €194,000 per unit. I understand that the final account between the Council and the provider is pending agreement. The average cost per unit must be considered in the context of their early delivery, requiring advanced fast-track construction methods, and the quality of the finished units which have a superior energy efficiency rating. It can be anticipated that there will be reduced costs associated with further rapid- build schemes as a result of a more competitive procurement environment and the scale of additional provision now proposed.