Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

371. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the number of persons and families who have been removed from housing lists across the country over the past two years as a result of being above the income limit for social housing support; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11487/22]

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

The information requested is not available in my Department.

Applications for social housing support are assessed by the relevant local authority, in accordance with the eligibility and need criteria set down in section 20 of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2009 and the associated Social Housing Assessment Regulations 2011 (as amended). 

The legislation allows for household’s eligibility to be reviewed at the discretion of the relevant local authority or if the local authority becomes aware of a change in circumstances. Furthermore, it provides that the household’s eligibility shall be reassessed at the point of allocation of support. If a household is found to exceed the income eligibility limits upon review, they will be removed from the respective waiting list. Such households may re-apply for social housing support at any stage, subject to meeting the eligibility and need criteria at the time they apply.

Given the cost to the State of providing social housing, it is prudent and fair to direct resources to those most in need of support. The income eligibility requirements generally achieve this – they provide for a fair and equitable system of identifying households with the greatest difficulty meeting their accommodation needs from their own resources.

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

372. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government if will he provide a list of all Local Infrastructure Housing Activation Fund applications that have been made to his Department since the fund was established in tabular form; the progress of each application; the relevant local authority for each application; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11499/22]

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

373. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government if he will provide a list of all Local Infrastructure Housing Activation Fund applications that have been made to his Department from the area of Kildare County Council; if he will provide a breakdown of successful applications, those pending decision and the funding that has been allocated to date in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11500/22]

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

I propose to take Questions Nos. 372 and 373 together.

The Local Infrastructure Housing Activation Fund (LIHAF) was designed to activate housing supply by putting in place the enabling public infrastructure necessary to ensure that large scale development could take place on key sites in urban areas of high housing demand.

Funding of €200 million was originally made available under LIHAF, of which €150 million would be funded by the Exchequer with local authorities to match fund €50 million.

The Call for Proposals for LIHAF was announced on 26 August 2016. The closing date for applications was 14 October 2016. It was open to all local authorities to apply, with funding to be allocated on the basis of a competitive bid process in relation to proposals with the capacity to secure the early delivery of additional housing at scale, including at affordable prices. A total of 74 proposals, from 21 local authorities were received initially.

Approval was given for 30 projects under LIHAF in 2017 in order to stimulate the development of approximately 20,000 housing units across 14 local authorities. There has been no further call under the LIHAF fund since then. The list of approved projects and related funding is available at assets.gov.ie/45575/913180878aa647e29f8bcb65ffc2170c.pdf.

Of the 30 approved projects, 3 projects are not proceeding, 10 have been completed, and 9 are currently under construction. 3 projects are at or close to tender stage, and the remaining 5 projects are being kept under review.

Kildare County Council submitted seven projects for consideration under LIHAF at Naas, Kildare. Maynooth, Newbridge, Celbridge, Leixlip and Sallins.  Funding was approved for three projects at Sallins, Naas and Maynooth. The project at Sallins has been completed, the Council has confirmed that its project on the Naas Inner Relief Road will not now progress and that detailed design of the Maynooth project is at an advanced stage.