Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Social Democrats)
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682. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the projects considered under the local infrastructure housing activation fund, LIHAF, in 2016 and 2017; the projects approved; the locations of each; the funding which was provided to each project; if the funding has been drawn down; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7312/18]

Eoghan Murphy (Dublin Bay South, Fine Gael)
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74 proposals for funding under the Local Infrastructure Housing Activation Fund (LIHAF) were submitted by 21 local authorities in October 2016, of which 34 projects received preliminary approval in March 2017, at a total cost of €226 million. A list of the 74 proposals submitted is set out in the table below. Details of the 34 projects that received preliminary approval are available on the Rebuilding Ireland website at the following link: . Local authorities were allowed to proceed to design phase on all of these projects, pending final approval and sign-off of a grant agreement between my Department and local authorities.

To date, I have given final approval for 29 of the 34 infrastructure projects, which will activate supply of almost 18,000 housing units on previously inaccessible sites, and grant agreements in respect of those projects have been signed. The cost of these projects is €177 million, of which €133 million will be funded by my Department and €44 million will be funded by local authorities. Discussions on the remaining projects are being finalised or have been moved for consideration under LIHAF 2 later in 2018. Information regarding the 29 approved projects is detailed in the second table below.

Funding of €1.67 million was drawn down in respect of LIHAF projects in 2017, which was mainly in respect of design costs. It is expected that this will increase substantially in 2018 as projects move to the construction stage. Funding for LIHAF is ring-fenced within the overall housing budget and will be available for local authorities to drawdown over the lifetime of the projects involved. Through proactive management of the broader housing programme, the LIHAF underspend in 2017 was diverted to other housing activities, ensuring that the funding available in 2017 was fully applied to housing priorities.

Table of 74 LIAF Proposals

LOCAL INFRASTRUCTURE HOUSING ACTIVATION FUND

LIST OF 29 Projects with Signed Grant Agreements and their total cost