Paul McAuliffe (Dublin North West, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

289. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government if he will provide an update on the affordable housing element of the planned housing provision in Dublin 11 (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24204/22]

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

Dublin City Council is currently progressing plans for the redevelopment of the 6.1 hectare site at the location referred to which includes the Abigail Women’s Centre and Tús Núa facility with a view to constructing 166 homes, a Men’s Shed and a Crèche.

On receipt of a Stage 1 Capital Appraisal my Department issued Stage 1 Approval-in-Principle in May 2020 for the construction of the 75 Social Housing units under Phase 1 of this project.

Dublin City Council have advised that they are working on a revised phasing strategy for this site. The initial phase is expected to prioritise the delivery of general social housing units and units for older persons. Existing and additional services are expected to be included in subsequent phases.

No applications have been received by my Department in relation to affordable housing delivery including cost rental and affordable purchase. My Department will consider any such applications from the Council or any Approved Housing Body when received.

Duncan Smith (Dublin Fingal, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

290. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the updated position in relation to housing at a location (details supplied) in County Kildare; the plans for this location; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24249/22]

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

The options in relation to vacant or derelict housing are addressed in Pathway 4 of Housing for All which notes that at a time of such high housing need, we have to ensure that the houses we already have are being fully used.

Under Housing For All, there are a suite of measures to address vacancy and dereliction through efficient use of existing stock including the Croí Cónaithe (Towns) Fund which will be delivered by local authorities to support the refurbishment of vacant and derelict properties, enabling people to live in small towns and villages, in a sustainable way.

Details in relation to the operation of the Croí Cónaithe (Towns) Fund are at an advanced stage, including the scope and appropriate timeframes, and it will be launched shortly.

With respect to social housing, the management and maintenance of local authority housing stock, including pre-letting repairs to vacant properties, responsive repairs and implementing planned maintenance programmes, is a matter for each individual local authority, under Section 58 of the Housing Act 1966.

Since 2014, Exchequer funding has also been provided through my Department's Voids Programme to supplement the local authority funding available for the preparation of vacant properties for re-letting. The funding was introduced originally to tackle long term vacant units and is now increasingly targeted to support authority's to ensure minimal turnaround and re-let times for vacant stock.

From 2014 to 2021, expenditure of some €261 million was recouped to local authorities under the Voids Programme which funded the return to productive use of 18,527 properties nationwide. Local authorities also provide significant funding from their own resources to address the level of vacancy within the social housing stock.

My Department will continue to support local authorities in their work in this area. My Department will provide €25 million in funding to support the return of 2,273 vacant local authority homes. With regard to the properties which are selected to be remediated through the Voids programme, this would be a matter for each individual local authority, which would be Kildare County Council in this case.

Given the very significant investment into the Voids Programme over recent years, particularly in 2020 and in 2021, local authorities should now be in a strong position to begin the transition to a strategic and informed planned maintenance approach to stock management and maintenance.

To that end, my Department and local authorities are working to transition from a largely response and voids based approach to housing stock management and maintenance, to a planned maintenance approach as referenced in Housing for All, policy objective 20.6. This will require the completion of stock condition surveys by all local authorities and the subsequent development of strategic and informed work programmes in response. My Department will support these work programmes by ensuring that the funding available under stock improvement programmes are aligned with this approach.