Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail)
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The regeneration of Poolbeg West is an important step in the transformation of the Dublin Docklands area, with the potential to provide for 3,500 homes. A condition of the planning scheme for the Poolbeg West Strategic Development Zone, as modified by An Bord Pleanála on 9 April 2019, is the provision of 15% social and affordable homes on this site in addition to the 10% statutory social housing requirement under Part V arrangements.

In March 2022, Dublin City Council approved an application for the first phase of homes at the former Glass Bottle site. My Department has been working with Dublin City Council and the developers of the Poolbeg SDZ area to progress the delivery of social and affordable housing in this first phase of housing delivery, subject to agreement on the SDZ requirements and all the normal and relevant terms, including value for money aspects. The developers are engaging with Dublin City Council regarding the provision of the 10% Part V social housing in this first phase and tripartite engagement is ongoing with regard to delivery of the additional social and affordable housing in this first phase in accordance with the terms of the SDZ condition. Drafting of an agreement is underway and the parties are not in a position to comment further until an agreement is finalised.

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail)
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Under Housing for All, the Government will deliver 54,000 affordable homes between now and 2030, and significant funding has been secured and is being made available to support this delivery for purchase or for cost rental by local authorities, the Land Development Agency, and Approved Housing Bodies.

Last year I wrote to local authorities to set out the increased level of Affordable Housing Fund (AHF) subsidy available for applications in respect of Cost Rental apartment developments in cities. The level of subsidy available to local authorities ranges from €50,000 to €150,000 per affordable unit depending on the density of affordable units per hectare on the development and its location. In return for the subsidy, the local authority must make the homes available at a starting rent targeted at least 25% below comparable local market rents.

I have recently approved €48.45 million for Dublin City Council for the delivery of 340 Cost Rental homes at the Oscar Traynor Road site. Planning for commencement of works is under way, with construction to commence in Q3 2023 and phased delivery from 2024 to 2027. It is envisaged that the precise cost-covering rents for these new homes will be announced closer to delivery.

In relation to the O'Devaney Gardens site in Dublin City, I understand that an Approved Housing Body intends to apply to my Department's Cost Rental Equity Loan (CREL) scheme for funding the acquisition of new homes currently under development there. This is in accordance with an agreement reached between Dublin City Council and the developer of the site, under which a housing charity will be able to acquire 30% of the new homes for Cost Rental. These acquisitions will be eligible for the increased CREL funding of up to 55% of capital costs, including a State equity investment, which was announced by Government in July.

My Department is committed to supporting Cost Rental delivery by Approved Housing Bodies, and will work to progress a funding application for O'Devaney Gardens swiftly and efficiently. As with the local authority delivery at Oscar Traynor Road, it is envisaged that the Approved Housing Body will announce the cost-covering rents for these new homes closer to the time of delivery.