Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Social Democrats)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

1312. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government the mechanisms in place to enable local authorities to provide for affordable housing schemes under the current guidelines; if funding is available for local authorities for this purpose; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34305/17]

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

In 2011, the Government announced the standing down of the provision of Affordable Housing (the 1999 Affordable Housing Scheme, affordable housing under Part V of the Planning and Development Act 2000, and the Affordable Housing Initiative). In relation to Part V, planning authorities have been informed that they should prioritise the acquisition of social houses on site when making Part V agreements. Funding to support the delivery of Part V units is available from my Department.

The Government recognises the housing affordability pressures faced by many households, particularly in certain parts of the country. It is for this reason that the overarching objective of the Rebuilding Ireland Action Plan for Housing and Homelessness is to increase the supply of new homes to 25,000 per annum by 2020. In particular, the aim is to increase the supply of high quality homes at more affordable price points as quickly as possible, in areas where demand is greatest.  

As set out in the Strategy for the Rental Sector, published in December 2016, the commitment to develop an affordable rental model, originally contained in Rebuilding Ireland, is now being progressed by local authorities in Rent Pressure Zones. In this regard, Dublin City Council and the Housing Agency, in partnership with Dún Laoghaire Rathdown County Council, have developed detailed proposals for specific sites they control in Dublin. My Department is currently working through those proposals with the project sponsors.

On 27 April, details of some 1,700 hectares of land in local authority and Housing Agency ownership were published on the Rebuilding Ireland Housing Land Map, with the potential to deliver some 42,500 homes nationally. All local authorities have been requested to prepare Strategic Development and Management Plans for their lands by 30 September 2017.  The final model for bringing forward public lands for housing, including an affordable rental element where appropriate, will be informed by the outcome of the consideration of the initial pathfinder sites.

In parallel, as part of the targeted review of Rebuilding Ireland, my Department is examining the broader issue of housing affordability.  Again, the outcome of the consideration of the specific proposals referred to above will be factored into that review process and my Department will also be consulting more broadly with local authorities generally.