Eoin Ó Broin (Dublin Mid West, Sinn Fein)
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616. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the details of the €15 million allocation in budget 2018 for infrastructure and services on local authority owned sites; the way in which this funding can be applied for; if it can be incorporated into land initiative projects; and if there is a target number of affordable units to be delivered in 2018 and 2019 under this fund. [43869/17]

Eoghan Murphy (Dublin Bay South, Fine Gael)
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On 10 October, as part of Budget 2018, I announced an additional €75 million in Exchequer funding for new affordable housing initiatives. A second LIHAF infrastructure fund of €50 million will unlock even more sites, more quickly and at affordable prices. The first LIHAF was well over-subscribed, so it is expected that the second LIHAF call will be answered very quickly.

Recognising the significant challenge households face in securing affordable housing in parts of the country a new fund of €25 million will be provided, over 2018 and 2019, to unlock local authority-owned land specifically to deliver affordable housing. Local authorities have already worked very successfully with co-operative housing bodies in delivering infrastructure on local authority-owned sites so that co-operatives can make affordable housing available. I would like to see this model made available on a much greater scale.

My Department is currently drawing up the criteria for access to this scheme, to be announced in the coming weeks, along with further affordability measures.