Barry Cowen (Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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17. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government if his Department has undertaken an audit of potential bottlenecks and undue regulatory burdens slowing down the planning process for building multi-unit housing units, such as apartment buildings or housing estates; the findings of this audit and plans; and his plans to remove such blockages. [35469/16]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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My Department routinely monitors the planning process and acts to ensure it facilitates appropriate multi-unit housing developments to meet the broader housing requirements of society. The Dublin Housing Supply and Co-ordination Task Force indicates that sufficient planning permissions are in place in Dublin to yield almost 27,000 new dwellings, whereas only approximately 126 sites, producing around 4,000 dwellings, are active. This leaves around 22,000 dwellings uncommenced on approved sites.

While securing a planning permission is obviously important, having the funds or available potential purchasers necessary to support the activation of a permission is equally important. This is why tackling our current housing crisis demands a whole-of-Government approach, covering budgetary and financing issues, as well as planning and housing policy matters.

The publication of the Rebuilding Ireland Action Plan for Housing and Homelessness reflects the commitment to that whole-of-Government approach, with the theme of the third Pillar, “Building More Homes”, in particular setting the objective to more than double housing output between now and 2021.

In addition, and prior to the launch of Rebuilding Ireland, my Department progressed several measures identified in the policy package, Stabilising Rents - Boosting Supply, including publication of updated statutory guidelines on apartment developments, which addressed inconsistencies in development plan policies.

More recently, the establishment of the Local Infrastructure Housing Activation Fund (LIHAF) has commenced a process for providing €200m for infrastructure investment over the 2017 to 2019 period, opening up key sites for early development and delivery in an economically efficient manner, and promoting affordable supply in the areas of greatest need.

Furthermore, the Planning and Development (Housing) and Residential Tenancies Bill 2016 commenced debate in the Seanad this week, providing for a radical new approach to streamlining the planning process for urgently needed large-scale housing proposals. This is a response to a review of cases recently decided by An Bord Pleanála, which showed typical periods of up to 18-20 months to get approval for major residential developments from pre-planning consultations through to the final appeal determination.

Acknowledging the complexities of the housing market, the reasons why so many permissions have not been commenced and supply is lagging behind evident demand are multifaceted and no one single fix is going to address the issues. However, I believe that through the multiplicity of actions currently being progressed, the Government will create the conditions required for the restoration of a more sustainable and normally functioning housing market capable of providing the homes that people need, where and when they need them.