Jennifer Murnane O'Connor (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail)
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148. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government if he will provide a report on the delivery of affordable housing in County Carlow; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11864/23]

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail)
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Following the publication of Housing for All, I asked local authorities to prepare Housing Delivery Action Plans. 18 local authorities, including Carlow, were set five-year Affordable Housing delivery targets and asked to include planned affordable housing delivery in those Plans. Carlow County Council published its final Plan last July.

My Department has met with Carlow County Council to discuss their need for affordable housing, their targets and their plans and funding is available from my Department to assist in the delivery of affordable housing under the Affordable Housing Fund.

In addition, recognising the resourcing implications of providing affordable housing, I have sanctioned two additional staff to support delivery of affordable housing in Carlow which I expect will assist Carlow County Council to develop their affordable housing pipeline.

To date, my Department has not received any proposals from Carlow but assistance is available from my Department, the Housing Agency and the Housing Delivery Co-ordination Office in the LGMA with developing proposals and housing schemes.

Finally, the First Home Scheme, launched last July, supports first-time buyers in purchasing new houses and apartments in the private market through the use of an equity share model, similar to the Local Authority Affordable Purchase Scheme. The Scheme aims to support in the region of 8,000 households in acquiring new homes in the private market from 2022 to 2026 with an overall budget of €400 million. The scheme is available in Carlow and nationwide.