David Cullinane (Waterford, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

26. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government his plans to deliver public and affordable housing in Waterford; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46816/22]

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

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. This includes the delivery of 90,000 social homes, 36,000 affordable purchase homes and 18,000 cost rental homes.  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.

In September 2021, I issued social housing targets to each local authority for the period 2022-2026 and in March I issued local authority targets for affordable purchase and cost-rental.  The targets for Waterford County Council include the delivery of 1,057 new build social homes, 46 social homes through long-term leasing and 76 affordable homes between 2022 and 2026.  

A key action of Housing for All is that local authorities develop Housing Delivery Action Plans. The Plans set out details of both social and affordable housing delivery as appropriate over the period 2022 - 2026. Waterford’s Housing Delivery Action Plan has been published on Waterford City and County Council’s website.

The First Home Scheme to support affordable purchases of new homes in the private market will operate nationwide. Targeted at First Time Buyers or those eligible under the Government’s ‘Fresh Start’ principle, the Scheme is being delivered via a strategic partnership between the State and participating mortgage lenders. This scheme was launched on 7 July and will improve access to newly-built homes by using a shared equity model to bridge the gap between mortgage finance and the cost of new homes.