John McGuinness (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail)
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621. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the number and name of local authorities that have applied to his Department for permission to enter into contacts to directly construct houses; the number of houses involved; the number of local authorities and voluntary housing agencies that are seeking approval for house construction projects; the timeframe for making such decisions; if his Department has made a decision on the issue of cost rental; the number of applications submitted to his Department from Kilkenny County Council for house construction projects; if a housing project at a location (details supplied) will be approved; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13734/18]

Eoghan Murphy (Dublin Bay South, Fine Gael)
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The Government's Rebuilding Ireland action plan is focused on accelerating the delivery of housing, with an investment of more than €6 billion to deliver 50,000 social housing units through build, refurbishment, acquisitions and leasing, over the period to 2021. The implementation of Rebuilding Ireland is well underway and making significant progress. This was evident in the Social Housing Output indicative figures published in January, showing nearly 26,000 households had their social housing need met in 2017. A breakdown of these numbers across all local authority areas, including Kilkenny County Council, will be made available following completion of the necessary validation process.

There are currently over 12,000 new social homes included in the Status Report on Social Housing Construction Projects, which is now published on a quarterly basis and includes projects that are recently completed, on site, or undergoing planning and design. This list is being added to on an on-going basis and the most recent version, covering the period to end Quarter 3 of 2017, is available at the following link: .

The Status Report includes construction projects of various scale being advanced by all local authorities, including Kilkenny County Council, in conjunction with Approved Housing Bodies and these will be advanced as quickly as possible, as will further new projects brought forward by the local authorities. My Department currently has no proposal for the site at Margaretsfield, Kilkenny, but a new targeted timeline for social housing construction projects has been put in place that sets out the optimum timeframe from initial project concept through to design, planning, procurement and mobilisation of contractor on site. The programme puts an onus on all stakeholders to advance projects through the process in a timely manner.

Against the background of the affordability pressures which exist in the rental market, particularly in our cities and other major urban areas, the Government is determined to make cost rental a major part of the Irish housing system. To do this, we will offer more affordable long-term rental options, by leveraging the value of State land to reduce the cost of provision. Cost rental is new to Ireland and a number of pilot cost rental projects are currently being progressed in Dublin, for example, at Enniskerry Road and in Lusk. The projects are being delivered by Approved Housing Bodies, working with relevant local authorities, the Housing Agency and my Department. The pilot projects are providing very valuable learning in terms of the design and delivery of such a new rental model in Ireland. Working with these and other key stakeholders, my Department is considering the optimal operation of the scheme, including eligibility criteria, taking account of broader policy considerations on affordable housing.

I am confident that the actions, targets and resources available under Rebuilding Ireland provide a strong platform for meeting our challenges in the housing sector and I am satisfied that delivery of the Plan remains firmly on track.