Willie O'Dea (Limerick City, Fianna Fail)
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1327. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government his plans to extend modular housing as a response to the housing crisis; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46421/17]

Eoghan Murphy (Dublin Bay South, Fine Gael)
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My Department is encouraging the use of rapid build methodologies, including modular build, for accelerated delivery of social housing units and considerable progress is being made.

In that regard, my Department recently asked all local authorities to review the social housing projects in their areas and in the interest of achieving earliest delivery, they have been requested to consider their suitability for Design and Build contracts under the Rapid Build Framework, which includes modular design, set up by the Office Of Government Procurement. They were asked to consider, in particular, schemes which are amenable to early commencement, particularly in terms of their approved planning status.

In response, some authorities have indicated that a number of approved schemes and new schemes under consideration may be suitable. I expect that some authorities will utilise the OGP Rapid Build framework to help expedite delivery and I expect to be announcing further details in this regard in the coming weeks.

The question of utilising rapid build methodologies and other innovative construction technologies, including modular is, ultimately, a matter for consideration by each local authority and Approved Housing Bodies (AHB's) in the context of individual projects. Utilising innovative construction technologies can accelerate housing provision, as timeframes are considerably less than for traditional build.

My Department and I will continue to work with local authorities and AHB's to accelerate the delivery of all housing, including rapid build, in order to tackle the current housing waiting lists and to deliver homes, as quickly as possible, to those who need them.