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 homes will be delivered between now and 2030 to be facilitated by local authorities, Approved Housing Bodies (AHBs), the Land Development Agency (LDA) and through First Home, which is a strategic partnership between the State and retail banks.

Data for affordable housing delivery is published on a quarterly basis, similar to social housing delivery. This data is published up to Quarter 3 2023 and is available on my Department's website, at www.gov.ie/en/collection/6060e-overall-social-housing-provision/#affordable-housing-delivery.

Real progress is being made on transferring relevant public land to the LDA to deliver social and affordable housing. The sites identified under Housing for All can deliver up to 15,000 homes in the near to medium term.

Construction work is underway in Cork at the site of the former St Kevin’s Hospital, which will deliver 265 new homes, of which the first 45 homes are expected to be delivered in early 2025.

The land transfer process in respect of Devoy Barracks in Naas, Co. Kildare is also complete. 219 homes are expected to be delivered on the site. Delivery of the first phase of homes is expected in mid 2025.

A number of other sites are in the transfer process, planning is secured on key sites and procurement processes to build housing are underway.

The LDA are also actively partnering with local authorities to deliver affordable and social housing.

Almost 600 new homes at Shanganagh, Co. Dublin are being delivered in partnership with Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council (DLRCC) and will be devoted 100% to affordable and social homes, with the first units expected to be completed in 2024.

The LDA have received planning permission for 543 units for the Donore project at the site of the former St Teresa’s Gardens, Dublin 8, which is a partnership with Dublin City Council.

The LDA is also partnering with Dublin City Council in planning for the development of approximately 148 affordable homes at Cromcastle, Dublin 5.

The LDA and Dublin City Council have announced a proposed new development of over 1,100 homes at Cherry Orchard in Dublin with a proposed mix of affordable purchase, cost rental, social and affordable purchase homes, along with retail and community space, to be developed on greenfield lands owned by Dublin City Council. Approximately 900 cost rental and affordable purchase homes and 225 social homes are envisaged.

The LDA also have planned partnership projects with Dublin City Council at Bluebell in Dublin and with Galway City Council at Dyke Road in Galway, which are expected to yield approximately 240 and 200 homes respectively. These projects are currently at planning and design stages, with planning applications expected to be submitted in 2024.

The Land Development Agency is also tasked with unlocking stalled private, planning-consented developments in the shorter-term through its market engagement initiative, Project Tosaigh, from which the LDA is targeting delivery of 5,000 affordable homes by 2026. Project Tosaigh has already delivered 242 homes in 2022.

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, 36,000 affordable purchase homes and 18,000 cost rental homes. Housing for All is supported by an investment package of over €4bn per annum.

In respect of the Land Development Agency's (LDA) work on strategic housing delivery on public land, it is anticipated that the first homes of the Shanganagh development will be delivered in 2024 in partnership with Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council.

Progress will also be made in advancing housing delivery on other local authority partnership sites at the Donore Project (St Teresa’s Gardens); Cromcastle and Cherry Orchard in Dublin City.

Furthermore, in respect of the LDA’s work on housing delivery on vacant or underutilised public land, construction is underway at two sites transferred to the LDA in Cork and Naas and in 2024 it is expected that further progress will be made towards housing delivery on key sites in Galway, Dublin and Cork.

The LDA is also tasked with delivering social and affordable homes both in the shorter-term, through Project Tosaigh, its market engagement initiative to unlock stalled private planning-consented developments, and in the longer-term, assembling strategic land-banks from a mix of State and private lands.

Through Project Tosaigh the LDA is working with local authorities to deliver 5,000 homes by 2026. 2022 saw the first ever affordable housing delivery by the LDA in Dublin, Wicklow, Cork and Waterford, sourced via Project Tosaigh, and further affordable homes are coming on stream this year. I anticipate that the momentum generated by this initial and welcome delivery will be ramped up over 2024 and beyond.