John Curran (Dublin Mid West, Fianna Fail)
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463. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government when the first bundle of 520 new social housing homes across six sites, which had approval granted by the then Minister on 13 October 2015 and are to be developed through the PPP programme, will advance to planning and construction; the timeline for this project; when he expects all 520 units to be constructed and ready for occupation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13868/17]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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The Social Housing PPP programme provides for an investment with a capital value of €300 million and is expected to deliver 1,500 social housing units in total, via three bundles.

The first bundle, comprising six PPP sites providing for over 500 units in the greater Dublin area, is being developed in co-operation with the local authorities concerned. Two of the sites are located in Dublin City, with one each in South Dublin, Kildare, Wicklow and Louth. Dublin City Council has been appointed to act as the lead local authority for the delivery of the social housing PPP Programme in respect of this first bundle. It is expected that the process of seeking planning approval for the first bundle will commence within the coming month.

The procurement process is being led by the National Development Finance Agency. Tender documents are currently being finalised and are expected to be published in the coming months.

Each individual bundle of sites takes an estimated 37-48 months to deliver, in total. It is expected that construction would commence in 2018 with units becoming available in 2019.

John Curran (Dublin Mid West, Fianna Fail)
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464. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government the reason for the delay in progressing a housing scheme (details supplied) from stage 1 approval in Q2 2015 to stage 2; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13869/17]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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Social housing need is, in the first instance, a local issue and local authorities must respond to the nature and extent of that local need by devising and implementing appropriate targeted proposals that best fit the specific needs in their areas.

For that purpose, my Department has put in place a wide range of programmes that are available to all local authorities to generate increased social housing supply. In addition, my Department has put in place the structures and funding required for the early advancement of social housing supply proposals put forward by local authorities.

Local authority housing construction projects require careful consideration and planning, and their advancement through the various phases of development is in the first instance a matter for the proposing local authority. My Department has been working closely with South Dublin County Council to facilitate and accelerate the delivery of social housing in the South Dublin area. South Dublin County Council already has a strong pipeline of construction projects in development and is being encouraged by my Department to prepare and submit additional construction proposals to further strengthen that pipeline. Details of South Dublin County Council’s construction pipeline are available at the following weblink:.

With regard to the project referred to by the Deputy, I am advised that South Dublin County Council intends to progress to a Stage 2 pre-planning submission in the second quarter of 2018. When the Stage 2 submission is received by my Department, it will be considered responded to as a matter of urgency.