Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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34. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government if he will consider a plan to dramatically increase the supply of houses at the earliest possible date in order to address the issue of affordable houses for first-time buyers in view of the levels of inflation in the housing market rendering it virtually impossible for first time home seekers to provide themselves with an affordable house either by purchase or through the local authority; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33844/21]

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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64. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the extent to which major building contractors can be employed to build affordable houses for sale or for rent to suitably qualified persons on lands made available through the local authorities in order to address the most urgent aspects of the housing shortage which is likely to remain for the foreseeable future; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33845/21]

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 34 and 64 together.

This Government is absolutely committed to ensuring that affordable, quality housing solutions are available to everyone in Irish society and this is reflected in the Programme for Government.

Over €3.3 billion has been made available in 2021 for housing - the largest budget in the history of the State. This year alone we are providing capital funding specifically to cover affordability measures including:

- €110 million for a new Affordable Purchase Shared Equity scheme and a newEquity Loan Facilityto deliver Cost Rental homes;

- €50 million in Serviced Sites Funding to deliver affordable houses for sale or rent on Local Authority lands;

- €38 million in Local Infrastructure Housing Activation Funding which will support the delivery of homes on private lands including many at discounted prices; and

- €205 million to be spent by the Land Development Agency in its progression of housing including affordable homes; and

- €210 million is being made available for lending under the Rebuilding Ireland Home loan for those who cannot secure the necessary commercial loan and the Help To Buy scheme is also available via the Department of Finance.

I am also currently progressing the Affordable Housing Bill 2021 - the first ever stand-alone legislation providing for affordable housing measures. This will give a statutory basis for the introduction of Affordable Purchase and Cost Rental schemes. This Bill is currently proceeding through the Houses of the Oireachtas.

Rose Conway-Walsh (Mayo, Sinn Fein)
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35. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the number of new social homes delivered via build programmes that will be delivered in County Mayo in 2021; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33921/21]

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail)
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Increasing the supply of public, social and affordable homes is priority of this Government.  The Programme for Government includes a commitment to deliver 50,000 new social homes with a focus on new build homes. This commitment was underpinned by investment of €3.3bn towards housing programmes in Budget 2021. Subject to the impact of COVID-19, this investment will fund the delivery of 12,750 new social homes in 2021, including 9,500 new build homes.  In December 2020, I issued delivery targets for 2021 to each local authority, with Mayo County Council set a target to deliver 156 new homes, including 91 new build homes.

The Social Housing Construction Status Report is published each quarter and provides scheme level detail on social housing new build activity in each local authority, including Mayo. Details on each stage of a project can be found including when a development moves onsite and when it is complete. The most recent report covers the period up to the end of Quarter 1 2020 and provides details of 62 social housing schemes in Mayo. The report also shows there are 79 homes onsite across eleven schemes, of which 57 are due to complete in 2021. A further 207 homes are at various stages of the design and pre-tender process.

The restrictions introduced to combat the spread of COVID-19 meant that most housing construction was halted from 8 January to 12 April 2021. These restrictions have meant that some housing projects, which were scheduled for delivery in 2021 may now be delayed until 2022. I have asked all local authorities to work closely with developers, contractors and AHB delivery partners to ensure that the maximum number of new social homes are delivered this year.

Neale Richmond (Dublin Rathdown, Fine Gael)
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36. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the status of the future of strategic housing developments; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33050/21]

Peter Burke (Longford-Westmeath, Fine Gael)
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The Planning and Development (Housing) and Residential Tenancies Act 2016 (the Act) introduced new streamlined arrangements to enable planning applications for strategic housing developments (SHDs) of 100 housing units or more, or student accommodation or shared accommodation developments of 200 bed spaces or more, to be made directly to An Bord Pleanála for determination.

The Programme for Government - Our Shared Future commits to not extending the SHD arrangements beyond their legislative expiry date of end December 2021, which has now been extended to 25 February 2022 arising from the Covid-related extension of statutory deadlines within the planning system by 8 weeks in respect of the period March to May 2020.

Work is ongoing on the development of new legislative proposals for the wind-up of the current SHD arrangements and the submission of large-scale housing planning applications (including student accommodation) to local planning authorities. It is intended to publish a General Scheme in this regard as soon as possible.