Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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158. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the extent to which housing developments are in hand in each local authority throughout the country, as well as in County Kildare, with a view to alleviating the waiting list for local authority and affordable housing; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47603/22]

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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160. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the number of houses allocated to each local authority throughout the country, including County Kildare, by way of Part 5 provision arising from private ongoing developments; the extent to which this has reduced numbers on waiting lists; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47605/22]

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 158 and 160 together.

Housing for All is the Government’s plan to increase the supply of housing to an average of 33,000 per year over the next decade. Housing for All is supported by an investment package of over €4bn per annum, through an overall combination of €12bn in direct Exchequer funding, €3.5bn in funding through the Land Development Agency (LDA) and €5bn funding through the Housing Finance Agency.

In September 2021, I issued social housing targets to each local authority for the period 2022-2026. The targets for Kildare County Council include the delivery of 2,068 new build social homes, 348 social homes through long-term leasing and 226 affordable homes between 2022 and 2026.  

A key action under Housing for All was the preparation of Housing Delivery Action Plans by local authorities. These Plans set out details of social and affordable housing delivery over the period 2022-2026, in line with targets set under Housing for All.  The plans have been published on the relevant websites of the local authorities. 

My Department publishes comprehensive programme level statistics on a quarterly basis on social housing delivery activity, including Part V delivery. This data is available to the end of Quarter 1 2022, and is published on the statistics page of my Department’s website, at the following link: www.gov.ie/en/collection/6060e-overall-social-housing-provision/  

My Department also publishes the Social Housing Construction Status Report (CSR). The CSR provides details of social housing developments that have been completed, are under construction or are progressing through the various stages of the design and tender processes. The most recent publication was for Quarter 1 2022 and is available at the following link: www.gov.ie/en/publication/6912a-social-housing-construction-projects-status-report-q1-2022/. A version of the CSR file can also be downloaded for analysis at this link: data.gov.ie/dataset/1071704e-a426-4e66-834b-56c385f249bb/resource/258afc57-e66a-4c64-ba44-125ef4ea9370

Under Housing for All, the Government will deliver 54,000 affordable homes between now and 2030, to be facilitated by local authorities, Approved Housing Bodies (AHBs), the LDA and through a strategic partnership between the State and retail banks.

2022 represents the first year of a very ambitious programme of delivery of affordable housing. Significant funding has been secured and is being made available to support delivery of affordable housing for purchase or for cost rental by local authorities, AHBs and by the LDA. Local authorities have been asked to begin collating information on delivery of affordable homes in their area in the same manner as is currently done for social housing. It is intended that information on delivery across all delivery streams will be gathered by my Department and I expect that my Department will be in a position to begin reporting on affordable delivery in national quarterly delivery statistics later this year. 

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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159. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government if plans will be put in place to arrange for modular or chalet-type wooden housing as a means of addressing the severe housing shortage, as well as the shortage of accommodation for asylum seekers, with a view to reducing the dependence on highly priced rental accommodation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47604/22]

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail)
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Housing for All is the Government’s plan to increase the supply of housing to an average of 33,000 per year over the next decade. Housing for All is supported by an investment package of over €4bn per annum, through an overall combination of €12bn in direct Exchequer funding, €3.5bn in funding through the Land Development Agency (LDA) and €5bn funding through the Housing Finance Agency.

Under Housing for All, the Government will deliver 47,600 new build social homes; 3,500 social homes through long-term leasing and 28,500 new affordable homes in the period 2022-2026. Over the same period to 2026, the Housing for All strategy commits to delivering 10,000 Cost Rental homes and 18,000 Affordable Purchase homes which will be delivered by Approved Housing Bodies, local authorities, the LDA and the First Home shared equity scheme.

Modern Methods of Construction (MMC) has been identified as a key measure to address the different housing needs in Ireland and methods to support the development of MMC in Ireland are set out in Housing for All Pathway 5 Section 5.3.2. All new dwellings must comply with building regulations, the aim of which is to provide for the safety and welfare of people in and about buildings, and in addition achieve a 60-year durability for all key elements.

The development of MMC, which will improve productivity and increase efficiency in construction, and the coordination of activities to promote the development of MMC, is being led by the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment (DETE). DETE has recently established a MMC Leadership and Integration Group. The Group’s leadership aim to ensure a coordinated approach, and that those emerging innovations and new technologies being developed and deployed by the industry in Ireland and abroad, and promoted by the public sector, can be showcased and demonstrated in a coordinated and timely manner, particularly (but not exclusively) by the Demonstration Park for MMC, and could also inform the design of construction training modules. 

The Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth (DCEDIY) is responsible for meeting the immediate and short-term accommodation needs of persons arriving in Ireland from the conflict in Ukraine. My Department is supporting the national response in a number of ways, including working with the Local Authority sector to identify multi-unit vacant buildings that might be suitable for refurbishment. In addition, OPW, with DCEDIY as the overarching Department, is leading on a project to secure the provision of modular homes to accommodate Beneficiaries of Temporary Protection from the Ukraine.

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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161. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government if planning requirements will facilitate the building of wooden or chalet-type houses in specified areas on a temporary basis to alleviate the housing shortage; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47606/22]

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail)
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Under the Planning and Development Act 2000, as amended (the Act), all development, unless specifically exempted under the Act or associated Regulations, requires planning permission.  Exemptions from the requirement to obtain planning permission in respect of specific forms of development are provided for, when they are considered to be consistent with proper planning and sustainable development. These exemptions provided for in the Planning and Development Regulations 2001 (the Regulations) are kept under regular review.

Class 3 of Part 1 of Schedule 2 of the Regulations provides for an exemption in respect of the construction, erection or placing within the curtilage of a house of any tent, awning, shade or other object, greenhouse, garage, store, shed or other similar structure. This exemption is subject to conditions and limitations as set out in the Regulations, including that the structure shall not be used for human habitation or for any other purpose other than a purpose incidental to the enjoyment of the house as such. The use of such structures for the purpose of human habitation would be subject to planning permission under Section 34 of the Act.

Under Class 1 of Part 3 of Schedule 2 of the Regulations, an exemption provides for the temporary use of any land for the placing of any tent, campervan or caravan or for the mooring of any boat, barge or other vessel used for the purpose of camping.  This exemption is subject to a time limit of a period of not greater than ten days.  Where any person wishes to place a mobile home on land for a period of greater than 10 days, planning permission is required in accordance with section 34 of the Act.

In accordance with Section 34 of the Act a Planning Authority shall make its decision on a planning application within 8 weeks, except in cases where further information under article 33 of the regulations is sought from the Applicant.

If a person wishes to establish whether or not planning permission is required for a particular development proposal, they can seek a declaration from their local planning authority under Section 5 of the Act.

Under planning legislation, enforcement of planning control is a matter for the planning authority concerned which can take action if a development does not have the required permission or where the terms of a permission have not been respected.  Under section 30 of the Planning and Development Act 2000, as amended, the Minister is specifically precluded from exercising any power or control in relation to any particular case in which a planning authority or An Bord Pleanála is or may be concerned, except in very specific circumstances, which do not apply in this case.

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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162. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the extent to which the Housing for All programme is expected to meet its targets in 2022; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47607/22]

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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163. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the degree to which housing policy can be modified to deliver the product at an accelerated pace; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47608/22]

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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166. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the way urgent housing needs can be best met in all areas throughout the country within a reasonable time; if emergency measures may be considered to achieve these targets; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47611/22]

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 162, 163 and 166 together.

Increasing housing supply and delivering sustainable, affordable homes for people is the Government’s top priority. Housing for All is the Government’s ambitious housing strategy with annual targets to deliver 300,000 new homes between now and 2030. Guaranteed State investment of over €4 billion a year in housing is aimed at increasing supply, which in turn will help increase access to affordable homes to buy or rent.

The Government’s target of 24,600 new build homes for 2022 is on track to be met. To ensure we continue to meet our annual targets, and as committed to in September 2021 when Housing for All was published, the Government is currently reviewing and updating the actions in the plan. This will allow us to respond to external global challenges and redouble our efforts on prioritising measures to activate and accelerate the delivery of housing supply.

Furthermore, a number of additional measures will be brought forward as part of this review and Budget 2023.

Despite the above mentioned external global challenges – from COVID-19-related construction sector shutdowns, supply chain difficulties and rising inflation due to the war in Ukraine - there is robust housing delivery, a positive pipeline and activity in the housing market. The data show that:

- Just under 25,000 homes were completed in the year to the end of June 2022. There were 53.4% more homes completed in Q2 2022 (7,654) compared to the same quarter last year (4,990).

- In the 12 months to end June 2022, Commencement Notices were received for the construction of almost 28,450 new homes.

- 44,715 units granted planning permission in the year to July 2022.

- House purchases have doubled from 25,000 in 2011 to 55,000 in 2021, with the highest level of mortgage drawdowns since 2008.

- Over 167,000 people now work in the construction sector, 20,000 more than pre-pandemic levels and 40,000 more than this time last year.

Ultimately, my focus, and that of the Government as a whole, is on tackling supply, across all tenures, as well as addressing affordability and viability issues. We have a strong social housing build programme, and affordable purchase schemes and cost rental homes are now being delivered. These, along with the ‘First Home’ shared equity scheme will improve access to homes for first-time buyers and address affordability in the rental market.

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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164. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the quality and size of housing developments that is sufficient to modern requirements and standards; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47609/22]

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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165. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the number of applicants on the various housing lists held by the various local authorities throughout the country as of 1 June 2022; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47610/22]

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail)
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Detail on the number of households qualified for social housing support in each local authority administrative area is published by my Department in the annual statutory Summary of Social Housing Assessments (SSHA).

The most recent summary for all counties, conducted in November 2021, is available at:

www.gov.ie/en/publication/f6119-summary-of-social-housing-assessments-2021-key-findings/

The SSHA exercise for 2022 will take place in November 2022 and the summary published in 2023.