Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

60. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the extent to which affordable local authority housing is being adequately provided for the numbers currently on the local authority waiting lists in view of the difficulties being experienced by young families seeking a home; if he has been in contact with the local authorities that currently have the most serious housing waiting lists with a view to a renewed campaign to deal with the issue; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38275/20]

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

Increasing the supply of housing, particularly social and affordable is a priority for this Government. The Programme for Government commits to increasing the social housing stock by more than 50,000, with an emphasis on new builds.

In Budget 2021, the total funding being made available for the delivery of housing programmes is €3.3bn. This investment will ensure that the housing needs of over 28,500 households are met. The available funding will deliver 12,750 social homes through build, acquisition and leasing. A major focus of this investment is the delivery of new build, with an overall target of 9,500 new homes. The build target includes the delivery of 5,250 new homes by local authorities, 2,950 by Approved Housing Bodies and 1,300 new homes through Part V.

I am working very closely with the Housing Delivery Coordination Office and the local authorities on the implementation of measures to deliver housing solutions for households on the social housing waiting list. I have established a High Level Housing Delivery Group, which includes representatives from the City and County Management Association, the Housing Delivery Coordination Office, Approved Housing Bodies and the Irish Council for Social Housing. The Delivery Group provides a forum for engagement with key housing delivery partners to support the implementation of the commitments on housing delivery in the Programme for Government.