Cian O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay North, Social Democrats)
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31. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the number of affordable purchase homes from the Serviced Sites Fund and affordable housing funding respectively that have been completed and offered for sale to date in 2022; the locations of these; the unit sizes; the sale price; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31061/22]

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail)
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Housing for All sets out the range of actions necessary to increase the supply of housing to the required 33,000 homes, on average, per year over the next decade. 54,000 affordable home interventions will be delivered between now and 2030 to be facilitated by local authorities, Approved Housing Bodies (AHBs), the Land Development Agency (LDA) and through a strategic partnership between the State and retail banks.

Funding is made available by Government to assist local authority affordable housing delivery, for purchase and rent, through the Affordable Housing Fund (AHF), which prior to summer 2021 operated as the Serviced Sites Fund (SSF).  

In the past 12 months, the Serviced Sites Fund (SSF), which the AHF has now replaced, assisted in the delivery of 50 affordable homes at Enniskerry Road in South Dublin, Ireland's first secure, long term Cost Rental homes. These homes have rents of €1,200 per month, approximately 40% below open market rates in the area. 

SSF/AHF funding is currently assisting in the delivery of 117 affordable purchase homes at Boherboy Road in Cork City. Sales prices for this development were quoted at €218,000 for a two bedroom home and €243,000 for a three bedroom home (priced in February 2020). 

SSF/AHF is also assisting in the delivery of 39 affordable homes in Dun Emer in Lusk, Co. Dublin. Sales prices for Dun Emer range from €166,050 for a two bedroom apartment and €258,000 for a three bed semi detached house (prices at February 2021). Construction of these homes began in 2021 and all 39 units have been offered and allocated and will be delivered in 2022.

The AHF is also assisting in the delivery of affordable purchase homes to be completed in 2022 in Kilcarbery Grange, Clondalkin, which have been offered for sale and allocated at prices for the 16 three bedroom duplex homes ranging from €335,000 - €345,000.

Further schemes being supported under AHF advance purchase and expected to deliver housing in 2022 include schemes at Tower in Cork city and Castleland Park in Balbriggan.  Waterford County Council has advised my Department that two of their affordable housing projects, Summerfields, Kilbarry and Deer Park, Williamstown, will deliver their first phases in 2022. 

Cian O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay North, Social Democrats)
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32. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the number of Housing First tenancies delivered and sustained in the past year; the target number of Housing First tenancies for 2022; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31062/22]

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail)
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Housing First recognises that a stable home provides the basis for recovery in other areas. With Housing First, the priority is to support a person who has experienced homelessness into permanent housing as quickly as possible, without any preconditions around addiction or mental health treatment. Then, intensive work continues on these issues once they are housed. Housing First has been a key element of Government homelessness policy.

The Housing First approach to addressing homelessness places direct access to housing first and foremost for vulnerable individuals using homeless services consistently or intermittently over long periods of time, and those unable or resistant to accessing homeless services and who may then become habitual rough sleepers. These individuals often have complex high support needs such as mental or physical health problems, addiction issues or dual diagnosis (the presence of mental ill health and a substance addiction).

Data on the number of Housing First tenancies created are published every three months as part of my Department's Homeless Quarterly Progress Reports. At the end of Quarter 1 2022, a total of 232 Housing First tenancies had been created over the previous year. While the exact sustainment rate of these particular tenancies is not known by my Department, the Housing First programme had an overall sustainment rate of 86.6% during the 2018-2021 Implementation Plan period.

Housing for All - a New Housing Plan for Ireland committed to the further expansion of Housing First. A new National Implementation Plan, which provides for a further 1,319 tenancies covering the period 2022-2026, was published in December 2021. The new Plan outlines the targets for each region and in each year. In 2022, it is aimed to create a total of 282 Housing First tenancies.