Written answers

Tuesday, 28 September 2021

Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government

Local Authorities

Photo of Catherine ConnollyCatherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent)
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103. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the engagement he or his Department have had with Galway city and county councils with regard to allocating resources for additional staff members in order to have the capacity to deliver on its social housing programmes and the range of infrastructural services required to facilitate such developments as highlighted in the minutes of a meeting (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46394/21]

Photo of Darragh O'BrienDarragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail)
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In March of this year my Department’s Secretary General and other senior officials met with each of the Galway local authority Chief Executives. On 31 May and 2 June and, most recently again, on 13 and 14 September, I met with the Chief Executives of all local authorities including both Galway City and County Councils, where a range of issues relating to the Housing for All plan were discussed, including resources and infrastructure.

Housing for All contains strong commitments on strengthening the capacity of local authorities to initiate, design, plan, develop and manage housing projects. These commitments arise from engagements I have had with all our local authorities - both officials and elected members - including with Galway colleagues, which have directly influenced the new plan.

Supports are being provided to all local authorities through the Housing Delivery Co-Ordination Office (HDCO), which has been established within the Local Government Management Agency.

Housing for All commits to further build focussed housing delivery teams within the local authorities that are equipped to deliver on the scale of ambition in the Plan. It commits that before the end of 2021, we will complete a structured review of the resources, skillsets and training required to ensure that all necessary resources are in place to design, deliver and implement social housing projects, in line with the needs outlined in this Plan. Work is well advanced in this area. The HDCO has met directly with all local authorities including those in Galway, in carrying out an analysis of the additional skillsets and resources required, including project management skillsets.

Housing for All also recognises that housing cannot be delivered unless we have strong integration between housing developments and the surrounding infrastructure and the move to plan-led development will support this integrated system.

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