Alan Farrell (Dublin Fingal, Fine Gael)
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85. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the number of homes built in 2021; the projections for 2022 currently; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3342/22]

Alan Farrell (Dublin Fingal, Fine Gael)
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102. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government if commencement notices for new developments have increased in 2021; if so, the way that the increases compare with the previous three years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3341/22]

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 85 and 102 together.

Housing for Allis the Government’s plan to increase the supply of housing to an average of 33,000 per year over the next decade. Over 300,000 new homes will be built by the end of 2030, including a projected 90,000 social homes, 36,000 affordable purchase homes and 18,000 cost rental homes.

The Plan is backed by historic levels of investment with in excess of €20bn through the Exchequer, the Land Development Agency and the Housing Finance Agency over the next 5 years. This will provide the sector with the stability and certainty it needs.

Indications of increased construction activity are becoming evident which will help increase the supply and availability of housing.

There is a strong supply pipeline, with latest Commencement Notices data showing a total number of 30,724 residential dwellings commenced in 2021.

This is a 42% increase when compared to the number of residential dwellings commenced in 2020 (21,686), a 17% increase when compared to in 2019 (26,237), and a 37% increase when compared to 2018 (22,467). The 2021 total is almost equal to the combined totals for 2016 and 2017 (30,816).

Of the 30,724 new dwellings commenced in 2021, 82.7% of these were scheme developments (25,409) and 17.3% were single houses (5,315).

With regard to the number of homes built, in the year to Quarter 3 2021, almost 21,000 new dwellings were completed. This represents a 6.8% year-on-year increase. The Central Statistics Office (CSO) will publish its Q4 2021 New Dwelling Completions data in the coming days.

Completions for 2022 and 2023 are projected to exceed the Housing for Alltargets of 24,600 and 29,000 respectively. The Central Bank forecasts that some 27,000 and 31,000 homes will be completed in 2022 and 2023 respectively.

The most recent CSO figures on planning permissions also show a strong pipeline, with 39,077 units (apartments/flats and houses) granted planning permission in the 12 months to end Q3 2021.

Increasing the supply of housing as set out in Housing for Allis the top priority for me and the Government and we have made a good start on our path towards this goal. However, I acknowledge that we are coming from a low base of supply and that it will take some time before the full benefits of the strategy are tangible to our citizens.

The housing challenge remains immense, and continues to be affected by ongoing challenges including COVID-19 related delays, supply chain difficulties and inflationary pressure. The cost of housing – for those buying or renting - will continue to be a challenge in the short-term and, while we do not underestimate the difficulties this is causing for our citizens, I am confident that the delivery of Housing for Allwill create a sustainable housing system into the future.