Aindrias Moynihan (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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120. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the number of affordable homes delivered by each of the Cork local authorities; the number of homes being advanced through the various schemes for the next three years; the target number of homes for each of the next three years; and the rationale for these target figures. [3662/23]

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.

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, including both Cork City and Cork County Councils, were also set affordable housing delivery targets and asked to include their planned affordable housing delivery in their Housing Delivery Action Plans. These plans were published on the Councils’ respective websites in July 2022. Affordable housing targets have also now been published by local authorities and are also available to view on both Councils' websites. Targets issued to local authorities are based on the result of individual local authorities Housing Needs and Demand Assessments (HNDA).

Local authorities have been begun 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 in Q1 2023.

2022 represented the commencement of a very ambitious programme of delivery of affordable housing. A pipeline of affordable housing delivery is being developed by local authorities, by AHBs using the Cost Rental Equity Loan and by the LDA.

Funding under the various streams is made available on a programme basis in support of approved affordable housing schemes, rather than by allocations to counties. Housing for All has the largest ever housing budget in the history of the State to transform our housing system, with in excess of €20 billion in funding through the Exchequer, the LDA and the Housing Finance Agency over the five years.

To date, four affordable purchase schemes have been advertised for sale in Cork: three in Cork City Council - Newton Heights, Boherboy Road; Cluain Chaoin, Tower; and Crann Darach, Montenotte and one in Cork County Council - Clonmore, Mallow. Cork City Council confirmed to my Department this week that it will advertise a further 35 affordable purchase homes at Hawkes Road in Bishopstown on 11th February 2023, and applications will be open via an online portal later that month. In addition, the first 73 Cost Rental homes in Cork were delivered by AHB Clúid at Lancaster Gate, Cork City in 2022.

Furthermore, the Land Development Agency (LDA) have commenced enabling works on the former HSE site at St. Kevin’s Hospital in Cork City where they have secured planning permission for 265 social and affordable homes.

As of the end of 2022, the First Home Scheme reported that 750 applications had been approved, including 112 (15%) in Cork City and Cork County. Following a thorough review exercise, the maximum price ceilings have been revised to €475,000 for a new house in Cork City, €500,000 for a new apartment in Cork City, and €425,000 for a new home in Cork County, with effect from 1 January 2023.