Written answers

Wednesday, 14 December 2022

Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government

Housing Schemes

Photo of Thomas GouldThomas Gould (Cork North Central, Sinn Fein)
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114. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government if his attention has been drawn to the fact that the maximum price has still not been issued for a development (details supplied) in Cork despite the scheme being advertised in September 2022. [62648/22]

Photo of Thomas GouldThomas Gould (Cork North Central, Sinn Fein)
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115. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the maximum sale price of an affordable home in a development (details supplied) in Cork city. [62649/22]

Photo of Darragh O'BrienDarragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 114 and 115 together.

A key objective for the Government under Housing For All, is ensuring that homes are being made available to purchasers at a minimum of 15% below current market values, and for Cost Rental properties at a targeted 25% below market rental values for the area.

This, along with the affordable delivery and cost rental pipeline, local housing and property information and current construction costs have been key discussion items between my Department officials and local authorities and all are working to deliver housing at the lowest possible affordable purchase prices and cost rents feasible.

I introduced the Affordable Housing Fund last year to directly assist local authorities to bring forward affordable homes. In terms of the affordable housing supports my Department has made available, I am happy to advise that Cork City Council has confirmed it is delivering 36 homes in Cluain Chaoin, Tower under an affordable purchase scheme. The 36 affordable purchase homes are being supported by €1.8 million in funding from the Affordable Housing Fund and, following an application process, applicants are currently being assessed for the homes.

The affordable purchase price of these homes will be linked to the applicants' income and mortgage capacity, and their individual purchasing power above the minimum purchase price. The minimum purchase prices will be €241,000 for a two-bedroom homes, €280,000 for a three-bedroom homes and €345,000 for the four-bedroom homes.

A link to the scheme details and eligibility follows: cluainchaoin.ie/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/Application-Process-and-Support-Documents.pdf.

Photo of Thomas GouldThomas Gould (Cork North Central, Sinn Fein)
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116. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the expected processing time from application submission to sale of house on affordable houses or the target that he is hoping to achieve. [62650/22]

Photo of Darragh O'BrienDarragh 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. 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 (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.

In implementing the key objectives under Housing for All, each local authority has prepared and published a Housing Delivery Action Plan in respect of local authority supported or overseen delivery from 2022 to 2026. I have set individual five-year Housing delivery targets for local authorities. 18 local authorities with a strong and identified affordable housing need were also set affordable housing delivery targets and asked to include their planned affordable housing delivery in their Housing Delivery Action Plans.

2022 represents the commencement of a very ambitious programme of delivery of affordable housing. This momentum will continue with delivery significantly increasing in 2023. A pipeline of housing delivery is in place and being developed by local authorities, by Approved Housing Bodies (AHBs) and by the LDA.

With regard to the purchase of each affordable home, the timeline is dependent on individual purchasers' arrangements with the local authority in question. Pro forma legal and conveyancing material has been issued by my Department to all local authorities, having been agreed across stakeholders including the Law Society, all participating banks, local authorities, the Property Registration Authority and others. The sale of an affordable home is expected to be completed very shortly after the home is advertised and available for transfer to the purchaser.

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