Written answers
Thursday, 24 October 2019
Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government
Local Infrastructure Housing Activation Fund
Catherine Martin (Dublin Rathdown, Green Party)
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350. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the projects to which LIHAF funding has been allocated and not drawn down, in full or in part, in addition to the amount involved; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43924/19]
Catherine Martin (Dublin Rathdown, Green Party)
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351. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government his plans to reallocate LIHAF funding not drawn down; and if so, the details of same. [43925/19]
Eoghan Murphy (Dublin Bay South, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 350 and 351 together.
The Local Infrastructure Housing Activation Fund (LIHAF) was designed to activate housing supply by putting in place the enabling public infrastructure necessary to ensure that large scale development could take place on key sites in urban areas of high housing demand. Approval was given for 30 projects under LIHAF in 2017 and these projects will stimulate the development of approximately 20,000 housing units across 14 local authorities.
Funding of €200 million was originally made available under LIHAF, of which €150 million would be funded by the Exchequer with local authorities to match fund €50 million. 30 projects received final approval, at a total cost of €195.71 million, of which €146.69 million will be funded by the Exchequer with local authorities funding the balance.
In terms of LIHAF expenditure, most projects have been at the design and planning stages, and this is reflected in the level of expenditure to date. However, projects are now progressing to construction stage and it is expected that the expenditure will increase significantly towards the end of 2019 and into 2020. Almost €24.5 million has been drawn down to date in relation to LIHAF Project costs by all 14 local authorities granted funding in respect of 28 of the 30 projects. To date, no local authority has confirmed to my Department that it will not be availing of the funding made available for the project proposals submitted.
Details on all of the LIHAF projects by local authority area, budget allocation, project description, and housing delivery have been published on the Rebuilding Ireland website and are available at the following link:
It is not envisaged that LIHAF funding will be reallocated. Additional alternative infrastructure funding mechanisms are now available under my Department since LIHAF was announced.This includes the Serviced Sites Fund (SSF) under which a budget of €310 million has been made available to local authorities and the €2 billion funding through the Urban Regeneration Development Fund (URDF). In addition there is the €1 billion Rural Regeneration Development Fund (RRDF) operated by the Department of Rural and Community Development.
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