Darragh 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 and 54,000 affordable homes by 2030. 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.

Housing for All includes a commitment to strengthen the capacity of local authorities to initiate, design, plan, develop and manage housing projects. Extensive work was undertaken in 2021 to identify the additional staff resources required by local authorities to deliver the social housing targets set out in Housing for All.  In December 2021, I approved funding for 250 housing posts in local authorities nationally to support in social housing delivery.

In October 2022, I also approved funding for an initial tranche of 69 affordable housing staff posts for local authorities with an affordability constraint. My Department and the Housing Delivery Coordination Office in the Local Government Management Agency will be monitoring this programme further to a review of any additional supports being examined in 2023.   

In addition, in January 2022, my Department communicated with local authorities outlining that funding, made available since 2018 to support the work of a Vacant Homes Office including a Vacant Homes Officer (VHO), would be increased from €50,000 to €60,000 per annum, from mid-2022. This supports the commitment in Housing for All to ensure that the VHO role in each local authority is full-time. The provision of central funding reinforces the capacity of local authorities, including through the important role of VHOs, to ensure a dedicated focus on tackling vacancy and dereliction. 30 out of 31 local authorities now have a full time VHO in place and I understand that recruitment is ongoing for the remaining post in Donegal County Council.

Finally, The Housing Agency has been resourced to act as a centre of expertise to support local authority housing delivery. It provides technical expertise including training programmes, advisory services on contract and project management, mixed-tenure procurement and modern methods of construction, as well as supporting effective interaction and collaboration between local authorities, Approved Housing Bodies and other State agencies, including infrastructure utilities.