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

219. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the extent to which he might provide serviced sites to local authorities at a reasonable cost in an effort to meet the ongoing housing need; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [60058/22]

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

In September, I launched the Ready to Build Scheme as part of the Croí Cónaithe (Towns) Fund. Under this scheme, local authorities will make serviced sites in towns and villages available at a discounted rate to individual purchasers who will self-build their own home and live in it as their principal private residence.

It is intended that the local authority will either supply existing sites in their control or purchase sites and make them available for development by providing services and access to the sites concerned. The level of discount to the individual will depend on the level of servicing cost incurred by the local authority before the sale of the site but will not exceed €30,000. The amount of such discount will be reflected in the sale price of the site to the purchaser.

All available sites will be advertised on the relevant local authority’s website and / or in relevant local publications along with a closing date for receipt of applications.

As the scheme has recently launched, each local authority has been asked to identify suitable sites for the scheme. My Department will engage with each local authority on receipt of this information.

Applications for the Ready to Build Scheme are to be made to the Vacant Homes Officer in each local authority. They can provide further advice and information in respect of the fund and the application process.

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

222. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the way that the various housing bodies including approved housing bodies and local authorities can improve to focus specifically on various target groups who are currently not able to access the housing market; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [60061/22]

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

228. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government if each local authority might be required to provide a specified number of local authority houses on publicly owned lands in the shortest time possible; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [60068/22]

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

229. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the number of local authority houses built on contract in each local authority area for rent or sale purposes to qualified applicants; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [60069/22]

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

230. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the number of exclusively publicly owned sites in the various local authority areas throughout the country in which houses are being built or will be built in the near future for persons seeking local authority housing, affordable housing or serviced sites; the extent to which these might make positive impact on the housing market; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [60070/22]

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

I propose to take Questions Nos. 222, 228, 229 and 230 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. This includes the delivery of 90,000 social homes, 36,000 affordable purchase homes and 18,000 cost rental homes. 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 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.

A key action of Housing for All is that local authorities developed and submitted Housing Delivery Action Plans. The Plans set out details of both social and affordable housing delivery as appropriate over the period 2022 - 2026, including details of the delivery programme to be utilised. The Plans also contain details on the provision of age-friendly housing, housing to meet the needs of disabled people and one-bedroom units to address homelessness. My Department has worked closely with the local authorities to review and finalise the Plans, having regard to the targets and policy objectives set out in Housing for All. The Plans have been published by each local authority on their own website.

My Department publishes comprehensive programme level statistics on a quarterly basis on social housing delivery activity in all local authorities. This data is available until the end of Quarter 2 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, including details of SHIP construction delivery, which have been completed, are under construction or are progressing through the various stages of the design and pre-tender process. The most recent publication was for Q2 2022. The report is available at the following link: www.gov.ie/en/publication/5a259-social-housing-construction-projects-status-report-q2-2022/.

A version of the CSR file can also be downloaded for analysis at the link below:

This year represents the first year of a very ambitious programme of delivery of affordable housing and significant funding has been secured and is being made available to support delivery of affordable housing for purchase or for cost rental through the various delivery streams.

Local authorities have begun collating information on the delivery of affordable homes in their area in the same manner as is currently undertaken for social housing. It is intended that information on delivery across all delivery streams will be coordinated by my Department and I expect that my Department will be in a position to commence reporting on affordable delivery figures in national quarterly delivery statistics before year-end.