Peadar Tóibín (Meath West, Aontú)
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377. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the estimated cost of restrictions and lockdowns in terms of social housing not built and private properties not built since the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25710/21]

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail)
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The Government’s public health response to COVID has involved restrictions on construction activity in both 2020 and 2021.

In 2020, construction activity ceased for a seven-week period from 28 March to 18 May, although certain designated social housing projects were allowed to continue.  In 2021, public health restrictions required most residential construction to stop from 8 January to 12 April, again with provision for certain designated social housing projects to continue.

The restrictions on construction activity has naturally impacted on output.  In 2020, CSO data shows that there were 20,676 new dwelling completions, which represented a reduction of 2% on 2019 output.  Social housing delivery was also impacted with a total of 7,827 social homes delivered in 2020, approximately 70% of the target.  In 2021, there was a longer period of restrictions, which will impact on housing delivery. However, it is too early to say what the overall impact will be. In respect of social housing, I have asked local authorities to engage with developers, contractors and their AHB delivery partners to take all possible measures to maximise delivery in 2021.

Peadar Tóibín (Meath West, Aontú)
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378. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the number of social houses built in Ireland in each of the years 2010 to 2020, nationally and by county. [25711/21]

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail)
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My Department publishes comprehensive programme level statistics on social housing delivery activity. This data includes details on the number of social houses built between 2010 - 2020 and is published on the statistics page of my Department’s website, at the following link: 

Since 2016, in addition to the statistical overview of activity in each local authority, the Social Housing Construction Status Report is published each quarter which provides scheme level detail on new build activity in each local authority. The most recent publication covers the period up to the end of Q4 2020 and is available at the following link: