Mattie McGrath (Tipperary, Independent)
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222. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government when it is expected that the first development will commence on a site (details supplied); the way the housing units will be constructed, that is, turnkey, private or local authority build; the number of public, private and social housing units that will be delivered; when it is envisaged that they will be fully completed; if Tipperary County Council has committed to delivering social housing units on the site; if these units will be rolled out as soon as possible, perhaps in a three year period; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22881/17]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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The aim of the Local Infrastructure Housing Activation Fund (LIHAF) is to relieve critical infrastructural blockages in order to enable the accelerated delivery of housing on key development sites in urban areas with high demand for housing. Tipperary County Council received approval for funding of €780,000 under LIHAF for the provision of a distributor road and roundabout at Ardgeeha Lower, Clonmel which will support the delivery of 200 housing units by 2021.

The Local Authority are currently finalising their plans for the delivery of the public infrastructure which will release land for development in an area which has a housing shortage. The local authority are engaged with a landowner in relation to delivery of the housing units which are expected to be delivered privately and are currently finalising commitments on timelines for the infrastructure and the housing. The aim is to have the housing delivered as soon as possible.

My Department is in the process of concluding a grant agreement with the local authority which will set out expectations in terms of timelines and this should be settled by the end of June 2017.

The provision of private housing supply will facilitate increased social housing through the 10% Part V social housing dividend. The overall increase in supply should also help ease the pressure on rented accommodation and facilitate efforts to provide social housing through existing measures such as the Housing Assistance Payment scheme, as well as contributing to an easing of affordability pressures in the housing market generally.