Alan Farrell (Dublin Fingal, Fine Gael)
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502. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the number of affordable housing units brought to market in 2022 in Swords, County Dublin; the forthcoming projects that are being planned to deliver housing in the area; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13801/23]

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail)
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The Housing for All strategy 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. 18 local authorities with a strong and identified affordable housing need, including Fingal County Council, were asked to include assessed affordable housing need and planned affordable housing delivery in their Action Plans. I have set individual five-year Affordable Housing delivery targets for those local authorities. The Fingal plan is available to view at the following link: www.fingal.ie/sites/default/files/2022-07/Fingal%20County%20Council%20Housing%20Delivery%20Action%20Plan.pdf

2022 represented the commencement of a very ambitious programme of delivery of affordable housing. This momentum will continue with delivery increasing significantly this year. A pipeline of affordable housing delivery is in place and under continuous development by local authorities, by Approved Housing Bodies using the Cost Rental Equity Loan and by the Land Development Agency.

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 or areas. To date, my Department has not received an Affordable Housing Fund application from Fingal County Council for an affordable housing scheme in the Swords area.

It should be noted that Fingal County Council has recently delivered one of the first affordable purchase housing schemes in the State which is located at Dun Emer, Lusk. These homes are now completed and being made available to the allocated purchasers at sales prices well below market levels. Fingal County Council have also advised that construction of 52 affordable purchase homes at Hayestown in Rush has now commenced on site, with all 52 homes expected to be available for purchase this year. Details of this scheme and how to apply, will be announced on the Council's website in due course.

Finally, the First Home Scheme, launched in July 2022, supports first-time buyers in purchasing new houses and apartments in the private market through the use of an equity share model, similar to that employed in 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 in the years 2022 to 2026 with an overall budget of €400 million. The scheme is available nationwide and more information can be found at www.firsthomescheme.ie/ .