Jennifer Carroll MacNeill (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

215. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government when regulations for affordable housing will be issued to local authorities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48774/21]

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

‘Housing for All’ delivers on the Programme for Government commitment to step up housing supply, and put affordability at the heart of the housing system. €4 billion in funding annually, representing the highest ever level of Government investment in building social and affordable housing, will, inter alia, support 54,000 new affordable homes between now and 2030, to be facilitated by local authorities, Approved Housing Bodies, the Land Development Agency and through a strategic partnership between the State and retail banks.

Delivery of affordable housing, in accordance with the schemes set out in the Affordable Housing Act 2021, and the funding being made available, will be underpinned by the preparation by local authorities of Housing Delivery Action Plans, which will be submitted to me before the end of this year.

Building on the regulations already put in place, it is intended that further regulations in respect of the Local Authority Affordable Purchase Scheme, as well as regulations governing the eligibility conditions that will be applicable to Cost Rental over the longer term, will be put in place by November.

Emer Higgins (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

216. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government if the terms of the new local authority mortgage scheme can be adapted to include provisions for those that cannot get a mortgage through the bank due to a chronic illness and as such are not able to get life assurance; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48780/21]

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

Local authority mortgage protection insurance (MPI) scheme has applied to all house purchase loans approved by local authorities after 1 July 1986, including the Rebuilding Ireland Home Loan introduced on 1 February 2018. Local authority MPI will also apply to the Local Authority Home Loan when it is intoduced.

One of the conditions of the MPI scheme, which is a group policy, is that it is obligatory for all local authority borrowers who meet the eligibility criteria to join the scheme. Altering this condition would have a negative impact on the scheme and increase the cost for all existing borrowers. A local authority housing loan applicant, who is not eligible for the local authority MPI scheme, must source a suitable comparable individual MPI policy from the market.

I look forward to announcing further details in respect of the Local Authority Home Loan in the coming months.

John Paul Phelan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

217. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government if the four joint local area plans that were promised for the largest population centres that cross county boundaries (details supplied) have been completed or started; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48794/21]

Peter Burke (Longford-Westmeath, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

The National Planning Framework adopted in 2018 included National Policy Objective 70, stated that “Provision will be made for urban area plans, based on current local area plan provisions, and joint urban area plans and local area plans will be prepared where a town and environs lie within the combined functional area of more than one local authority”.

All three Regional Spatial and Economic Strategies prepared by each of the three Regional Assemblies identified where the preparation of joint local area plans were required. These included;

- Drogheda: Louth and Meath county councils;

- Athlone: Westmeath and Roscommon county councils;

- Carlow: Carlow and Laois county councils

Waterford and Kilkenny were not identified as planning authorities required to prepare a joint local area plan. Waterford and Kilkenny will however, work together on the Metropolitan Area Strategic Plan and a Joint Retail Strategy.

Currently, all County Development Plans have either very recently been adopted or are being prepared.

It is an objective of each Development Plan (Louth, Meath, Westmeath, Roscommon, Carlow and Laois) that the identified joint local area plans will be prepared during the lifetime of the respective Development Plan periods.

The Meath County Development Plan (CDP) (2021 – 2027) will come into effect on 3November 2021 with the Louth CDP (2021 – 2027) following on the 16 November 2021. It is anticipated that both authorities will prioritise the preparation of a Joint Urban Area Plan (UAP/LAP) for Drogheda within Q1 2022.

The Westmeath CDP (2021 – 2027) came into effect on 3 May 2021. However, the Roscommon CDP is not due to be adopted until May 2022. Once both County Development Plans are adopted, the Joint Plan will be commenced.

The Laois CDP (2022 – 2028) is due to be adopted in February 2022 with the Carlow CDP following in August 2022.

All Planning Authorities have committed to preparing and implementing the respective identified joint plans.