Noel Rock (Dublin North West, Fine Gael)
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472. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government his views on the CSO figures which highlight the decline in home ownership in Dublin; his further views on the number of renters in the capital; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14143/17]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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I note the recent CSO figures referred to by the Deputy.

As set out in the Housing Policy Statement 2011, the Government aims to secure choice, fairness and equity across tenures and to deliver quality outcomes for the resources invested. The overall strategic objective is to enable all households access good quality housing appropriate to household circumstances and, as far as possible, in their particular community of choice.

This commitment was reiterated in the Rebuilding Ireland Action Plan for Housing and Homelessness, which provided that “The provision of quality housing in the right locations underpins wider national and regional economic and social progress, not least by ensuring that our cities, towns and villages are successful and attractive places to live and work.”

As the Deputy will be aware, a range of measures are being taken under Rebuilding Ireland to increase housing supply overall, with the aim of creating a functioning and sustainable housing system which can meet housing demand at more affordable prices.

The plan is divided into five pillars, with each targeting a specific area of the housing system. Pillar 3, entitled Build More Homes, has a key objective of increasing the output of private housing to meet demand at affordable prices, including by

- Opening up land supply and State lands, including the Major Urban Housing Development Sites initiative, which identified large-scale sites in the main cities that are capable of delivering significant homes in the short to medium term to boost overall housing supply;

- €200 million Local Infrastructure Housing Activation Fund;

- National Treasury Management Agency financing of large-scale “on-site” infrastructure;

- Planning Reforms;

- Putting in place a National Planning Framework and land management actions;

- Efficient design and delivery methods to lower housing delivery costs;

- Measures to support construction innovation and skills.

- Pillar 4 of the Plan, entitled Improve the Rental Sector, provided for the introduction of an affordable rental scheme to enhance the capacity of the private rented sector to provide quality and affordable accommodation for households currently paying a disproportionate amount of disposable income on rent. As set out in the recently published Strategy for the Rental Sector, this commitment is now being progressed through kick-starting supply in rent pressure zones.

- Other measures taken to increase the supply of housing include

The enhanced supply of more affordable starter homes in key locations through a targeted rebate of development contributions in Dublin and Cork for housing supplied under certain price levels;

- New National Apartment Planning Guidelines, reducing the cost of apartment building;

- Changes to aspects of the operation of Strategic Development Zones to enable swifter adjustments to meet market requirements;

- A vacant sites levy.