Peadar Tóibín (Meath West, Aontú)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

60. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the number of houses that have been built here to date in 2021; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22906/21]

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

In relation to new dwellings built to date in 2021, the Central Statistics Office are responsible for the quarterly publication of New Dwelling Completions. Data for the first quarter of 2021 is not due for publication until Thursday May 6.

20,676 new dwellings were delivered in 2020, and recent estimates predict that a similar number will be delivered in 2021, having regard to lockdown restrictions.

Last year, a total of 7,827 new social homes were delivered, representing over 70% of the annual target for 2020, a significant achievement given lockdown pressures. There were 8,555 social homes onsite nationwide at the end of 2020 and a further 9,085 homes at various stages of the design and tender process.

My Department publishes comprehensive programme level statistics on a quarterly basis on all social housing delivery activity. This data is available to the end of 2020 and is published on the statistics page of my Department’s website. Work is currently underway on the collection and collation of the Quarter 1 2021 data and will be published in due course.

I am keenly aware of the need for all forms of supply to be progressed, both social and private. The previous pandemic restrictions on construction in 2020 meant that the progress in activating supply was impacted, though not as largely as initially feared. Action will continue across all measures during 2021 to ensure delivery of the maximum number of new homes.