Tommy Broughan (Dublin Bay North, Independent)
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66. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government if he is considering establishing a national or regional social housing planning and construction agency in view of the slow delivery of new homes by the existing 31 local authorities. [44396/19]

Eoghan Murphy (Dublin Bay South, Fine Gael)
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Over the course of the Rebuilding Ireland Action Plan, the Government is committed to meeting the housing needs of over 138,000 households. The implementation of Rebuilding Ireland is well underway and making significant progress.

Annual delivery targets were exceeded in 2017 and again in 2018. By end Quarter 2 2019, over 84,000 additional social housing homes had already been provided under the plan.

The level of progress being made is reflected in social housing waiting lists, which have reduced by 25% nationally, from 91,600 households to just over 68,000 between 2016 and 2018.

Substantial funding is in place to deliver on the targets set in Rebuilding Ireland. The Housing Budget for 2019 is €2.4 billion rising to €2.63 billion in 2020, representing an increase of €258 million (+11%) compared to 2019.

My Department continues to engage very intensively with all local authorities to keep momentum on new build output as high as possible. When we examine the pipeline for new development, there are reasons to be optimistic in terms of meeting our ambitious delivery plans for 2019 and beyond. The Construction Status Report covering the period to June 2019 shows that there are now over 22,000 homes in the build pipeline, up more than 8% on quarter 1 of this year.

It should be noted that the number of homes on site at the end of June 2019 was 6,439. Given the healthy pipeline and expected delivery profile over the coming two quarters, I am confident that we are on track to meet our targets.

In order to support housing authorities deliver on their responsibilities and obligations, a number of dedicated structures have been put in place across the country over the last number of years.

A dedicated Housing Delivery Office (HDO) was also established within my Department in September 2017 to support local authorities, approved housing bodies and all stakeholders involved in the delivery of key elements of the ambitious private and social housing targets in the Rebuilding Ireland Action Plan. The purpose of this office is to accelerate and monitor housing delivery, both private and social, on key sites, identify further mechanisms to accelerate delivery, and support the roll-out of complex construction projects, including identifying and resolving barriers to delivery.

The Land Development Agency (LDA) was also established in September 2018 with an immediate focus on managing the State’s own lands to develop new homes, and regenerate under-utilised sites. On establishment, the Agency had access to an initial tranche of 8 sites that have near term delivery potential for 3,000 new homes. The overall objective is for the LDA to be involved in the building of 150,000 new homes over the next 20 years.

Extensive consultation has taken place and is ongoing between the Land Development Agency (LDA) and local authorities. The discussions have centred around how the LDA can assist with the formulation of plans to deliver housing, including social and affordable housing, on local authority owned lands. It is also working with Dun Laoghaire Rathdown County Council in relation to the delivery of housing on the local authority owned site at Shanganagh.

Approved Housing Bodies (AHBs) are vital for successful delivery of social housing targets and my Department works closely with these bodies on an ongoing basis to support them in the delivery of their social housing programme. The AHB Service Unit was also established within the Housing Agency to provide a centre of excellence and advice for AHBs. This Unit works with local authorities and AHBs to build their capacity and expertise to meet the scale and complexity associated with the ambitious programme of delivery in the Rebuilding Ireland Action Plan.

I believe what is critical at this stage is to ensure that all of the structures already in place are aligned, co-ordinated and co-operating towards a shared vision. This includes my own Department, the Housing Agency and the Housing Finance Agency working with local authorities and approved housing bodies across the country. I am satisfied at this time that appropriate arrangements are in place to deliver much needed social and affordable homes across the country.

Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick City, Labour)
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67. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the number of homes constructed under the rapid build programme in each of the years 2016 to 2018 and to date in 2019; the reason the numbers proposed in Rebuilding Ireland are not being delivered; if efforts to provide homes on publicly owned land through rapid build will be renewed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44980/19]

Eoghan Murphy (Dublin Bay South, Fine Gael)
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The Government has committed to adding 50,000 new social housing homes to the social housing stock, by end 2021, through build, acquisition and leasing programmes. This is in addition to supporting 88,000 new families and individuals into homes through the Housing Assistance Payment and Rental Accommodation Schemes.

In terms of social housing, the priority in Rebuilding Ireland is to target the delivery of as many social housing homes, as quickly as possible, utilising all the programmes and mechanisms available. This year, €2.4 billion will support the delivery of 10,000 social housing homes and this will increase again in 2020, when over €2.6 billion will support the delivery of over 11,000 homes to the social housing stock.

The rapid delivery programme is one of a suite of delivery programmes and measures in place to support the delivery of social housing homes across the country. At end 2018, 423 social housing homes had been delivered utilising the rapid delivery programme. 22 of these were delivered in 2016, 186 in 2017 and 215 in 2018. A further 215 new social housing homes are expected to be delivered through the rapid delivery programme in 2019. It should be noted that there are now 40 rapid build projects in the pipeline that will deliver some 1,100 homes out to 2021.

My Department continues to work closely with all local authorities in relation to increasing and accelerating the delivery of rapid build methodologies. To support rapid delivery housing, the Office of Government Procurement (OGP) put in place a framework of Rapid Delivery contractors in 2017. This framework is available for all local authorities and Approved Housing Bodies to use in the interest of accelerated delivery.

We have also been working specifically with Dublin City Council on the establishment of a Design Build Contractor Framework to deliver apartments. This framework, which was established recently, has a value of €750 million. It is envisaged that over 1,000 fast-track apartments will be built using this framework, and while the majority of these homes will be advanced across the Dublin area, we are working with other local authorities to advance schemes/projects suitable for volumetric construction.

While the rapid delivery programme represents new challenges to local authorities in relation to forms of contract, design and contract management, the pipeline of rapid delivery projects is continuously strengthening; with more local authorities adopting it as a means of delivery. My Department will continue to encourage, work with and support local authorities and Approved Housing Bodies deliver as many homes utilising this mechanism as possible.

Every effort is being made to provide homes on publicly owned land and the suitability of rapid delivery programme is considered for all social housing projects. Regarding the use public land in general, extensive consultation has taken place and is ongoing between the Land Development Agency (LDA) and local authorities. The discussions have centred around how the LDA can assist with the formulation of plans to deliver housing, including social and affordable housing, on local authority owned lands.