Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
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144. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the number of homes for affordable purchase in the known pipeline; the number of homes for cost rental in the pipeline; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29332/20]

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail)
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In terms of affordable housing for purchase, the statutory basis for the delivery of affordable housing for purchase in the State is Part 5 of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2009, which was commenced in June 2018.

Under my Department's Serviced Sites Fund (SSF), €310 million has been allocated to provide infrastructure to support the delivery of more affordable new homes for purchase or rent in those areas where local authorities have identified an affordability challenge and the viability to deliver homes and below open market purchase prices. Funding under the SSF is available for new-build homes on local authority land. With a maximum of €50,000 funding available per home, at least 6,200 more affordable homes, to buy or rent, can be facilitated. To date, Serviced Sites funding of €127 million has been approved in principle in support of 35 projects in 14 local authority areas, which will assist in the delivery of almost 3,200 affordable homes for purchase.

In terms of Cost Rental , a pilot development of 50 homes is already under construction at Enniskerry Road, Stepaside, as part of a mixed-tenure site alongside 105 social housing homes. Another pilot development for a site at Emmet Road, Inchicore (the former St Michael’s Estate) is currently at the design stage, with plans for 375 Cost Rental homes alongside 109 social homes. A public consultation process is active at present for Emmet Road, with the intention to lodge a planning application with An Bord Pleanála in early 2021.

The Land Development Agency (LDA) will also play an increasingly significant role in the delivery of affordable housing, as promised in the Programme for Government. The LDA is currently developing 9 sites that have near-term delivery potential for 3,600 new homes, the majority of which will be for Cost Rental and affordable purchase. It is also engaged in the progression of a number of other sites with potential for significant housing output. In the longer term, it will assemble strategic land-banks from a mix of public and private lands, making these available for housing in a controlled manner, which will bring essential long-term stability to the Irish housing market. The overall objective is for the LDA to be involved in the building of 150,000 new homes over the next 20 years.

The first LDA development, a joint venture with Dún Laoghaire–Rathdown County Council at Shanganagh, Shankill, received planning permission in July 2020 and is projected to deliver 597 new homes: 306 Cost Rental, 200 social housing, and 91 to be sold under the Government’s affordable purchase scheme. Construction is expected to begin in early 2021.

In terms of affordable housing more generally, I will outline my detailed plans in the near future, taking account of progress to date under the SSF, experience from these initial Cost Rental projects, and a number of other measures, as well as the input of key delivery partners.

Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
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145. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the proposed selection criteria for homes being allocated for cost rental; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29333/20]

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail)
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This Government is committed to ensuring that affordable, quality housing solutions are available to everyone in Irish society, and this is reflected in the Programme for Government "Our Shared Future". The Programme commits to putting affordability at the heart of the housing system through the progression of State-backed affordable housing, including the development of a Cost Rental model. Cost Rental is housing where the rents cover only the costs of delivering, managing, and maintaining the homes.

Work to outline the consistent and sustainable delivery of Cost Rental at scale has been undertaken through an inter-departmental multi-agency Cost Rental Working Group, and is also being assisted by an external research project sponsored by the European Investment Bank (EIB) on behalf of my Department. Cost Rental is intended for a target cohort of households with incomes above the limits for social housing provision. Cost Rental is not intended to replace traditional social housing, which remains a priority for this Government, but to complement it in building mixed, sustainable communities.

It is envisaged that Cost Rental homes supported by Government investment will be allocated to applicants who meet eligibility criteria. The precise eligibility conditions are being developed in light of the on-going policy development work outlined, and these conditions will be set in advance of the completion of the first Cost Rental projects.