Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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290. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government if subsidised serviced sites will be made available to families on local authority housing waiting lists in the greater Dublin area with particular reference to addressing the need of that group that cannot obtain a local authority mortgage on the basis on insufficient income and cannot get onto the local authority waiting lists on the basis on excessive income; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52532/17]

Eoghan Murphy (Dublin Bay South, Fine Gael)
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I understand that the Deputy is referring to households who on income grounds, do not qualify for social housing and who also are deemed ineligible for a local authority mortgage.

In relation to sites for affordable housing that would assist the households the Deputy refers to, on 10 July 2017, I attended the hand-over ceremony for the first five of 49 affordable homes delivered by the Ó Cualann Co-Housing Alliance in Ballymun. These homes were built on a site provided by Dublin City Council, at a price well below the open market selling price. I was impressed with what I saw and since then, I have met with O'Cualann’s representatives to discuss how the homes delivered in Ballymun can be delivered at greater scale. My Department has also arranged meetings involving O’Cualann, Dublin City Council and the Irish Council for Social Housing.

It is precisely for the purpose of scaling up delivery of this type of affordable housing that I am providing funding of €25 million, over 2018 and 2019. The funding will be made available to unlock local authority-owned lands specifically for affordable housing, using models such as this which have already proven to be successful but are now needed at greater scale. It is estimated that over 650 such new affordable homes could be facilitated under the new scheme.

I understand that, working with Dublin City Council, AIB and industry professionals, Ó Cualann delivered new 2-, 3- and 4-bed, A2 rated, quality homes with sales prices ranging from €140,000 to €220,000. Importantly, in terms of the model used, the Council provided serviced “ready to go” sites at very low cost, facilitating the affordable delivery and ultimate sales prices of the homes.

My Department is meeting with the Dublin local authorities this week to discuss how the new scheme will operate, and I expect to be in a position to issue a call for proposals on this matter in early 2018.

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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291. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government if an assessment has been done of the applicants for local authority housing in the greater Dublin area with a view to identification of those families anxious to purpose their own homes by way of private services sites; if a scheme will be put in place to address the issue; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52533/17]

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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292. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government to outline his views on the possibility in the greater Dublin area in cases in which some persons may be able to provide the local authority with a site, might have their housing needs met by way of provision of a local authority house on such sites thereby contributing to the housing stock, meeting their housing needs and ensuring that every avenue is explored to address the housing emergency; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52534/17]

Eoghan Murphy (Dublin Bay South, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 291 and 292 together.

Local authorities have a number of options available to them in meeting social housing needs, and these include the provision of low cost sites to persons qualified for social housing support on which they would build their own homes. Another option which could be utilised by a local authority, where it considers it appropriate, is the transfer of a site from a person qualified for social housing to the local authority, and the building of a social house on the site by the local authority, to be tenanted by the person who transferred the site.

I am not aware that an assessment as referred to by the Deputy has been carried by the local authorities in the Greater Dublin area. However, it is of course open to any person who is qualified for social housing support to make any particular proposal to the relevant local authority, for their consideration, in connection with the provision or acquisition of a site.