Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

1272. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government the number of private housing completions in 2016 and to date in 2017 in Dublin city. [33673/17]

Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

1274. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government the number of affordable housing completions in 2016 and to date in 2017 in Dublin city. [33675/17]

Eoghan Murphy (Dublin Bay South, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I propose to take Questions Nos. 1272 and 1274 together.

My Department publishes ESB Networks data on residential homes connected to the ESB grid, as a proxy for house completions, as it currently represents the best available indicator, with full coverage, that a residential unit is becoming available for occupation.

This ESB dataset includes recently completed one-off homes, multi-unit scheme developments and apartments. It also includes some re-connections to the grid, where properties that have been unoccupied for over two years are being brought back into use.  The dataset is updated monthly and is published on my Department's website, with a breakdown by local authority.  This information can be accessed through the following weblink -.

My Department also publishes Monthly Housing Activity Reports that draw together the most up-to-date data on housing activity indicators, such as planning permissions, housing development site commencements, ESB connections, social housing output, and residential purchase and rental prices.  The latest monthly report can be accessed on the Rebuilding Ireland website at the following weblink -

.

While information on house sales and rental prices is useful, the issue of affordability is a more complex matter that is as much a function of a household's income level, access to finance and circumstances as it is a function of residential completions and pricing data. 

I have initiated a targeted review of Rebuilding Ireland, with an emphasis on examining and strengthening the measures already in place and identifying new initiatives that add value and raise ambition.  As part of this review process, I have asked my Department to focus in particular on the broad issue of housing affordability.

Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

1273. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government the number of social housing completions in 2016 and to date in 2017 in Dublin city. [33674/17]

Eoghan Murphy (Dublin Bay South, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

Details on the number of social housing completions by local authority are available on my Department’s website at the following link: .Information on quarter four of 2016 is currently being finalised and will be published shortly, with information on quarter one of 2017 to follow thereafter.  The provisional data indicates that nationally in 2016, the housing needs of over 19,000 households were met through a range of housing programmes, supported by expenditure of over €935 million.  A further €1.3 billion has been provided for 2017 to support the accelerated delivery of social housing and the achievement of the 2017 target to meet the housing needs of over 21,000 households.

Details in respect of the substantial pipeline of new social housing construction projects that is now in place, including in the Dublin City Council area, are set out in the Status Report on Social Housing Construction Projects, the latest update of which is available at the following link:.

Details of all the social housing construction projects being implemented across the 31 local authority areas are set out in the Report, including the number of new social homes covered by each separate project.

The Report covers over 600 projects, delivering over 10,000 new social homes, including some projects completed in 2016 and in the 1st quarter of this year, and others that are on site or at various stages of advancement through planning and design.  The scale of the construction pipeline as at end-quarter 1 2017 represents a major escalation in the social housing build programme and more projects are being added on an ongoing basis, to ensure we deliver on the ambitious targets set in the Government's Rebuilding Ireland Action Plan on Housing and Homelessness. I am keen that all local authorities advance their social housing projects as speedily as possible and I have assured them that funding is in place to support their activity in this regard.