Ivana Bacik (Dublin Bay South, Labour)
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404. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government if he will make a statement on the need for additional social and affordable housing in Rathmines and surrounds, including by way of Part V housing; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10215/24]

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail)
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Under Housing for All, the Government will deliver 47,600 new build social homes; 3,500 social homes through long-term leasing and 28,500 new affordable homes in the period 2022-2026. 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.

In line with Housing for All, each local authority was required to prepare Housing Delivery Action Plans to address social and, where appropriate, affordable housing needs in their areas over the period 2022-2026. In preparing the Plans, local authorities were required to set out details of the locations and delivery streams, including Part V delivery, for social housing schemes. The Plans have been published on the local authority’s own websites. Dublin City Council’s Plan can be accessed at this link: www.dublincity.ie/residential/housing/strategies-policies-and-initiatives/dublin-city-councils-housing-delivery-action-plan-2022-2026

My Department publishes the Social Housing Construction Status Report (CSR). The CSR provides details of social housing developments and their location that have been completed, are under construction or are progressing through the various stages of the design and tender processes. The most recent publication was for Quarter 3 2023. All Construction Status Reports are available at the following link: www.gov.ie/en/collection/cb885-social-housing-construction-projects-status-reports/

A version of the CSR file can also be downloaded for analysis completions, locations, approvals stage etc. at this link: data.gov.ie/dataset/social-housing-construction-status-report-q3-2023

My Department further publishes comprehensive programme-level statistics on a quarterly basis on social and affordable housing delivery activity by local authorities and Approved Housing Bodies (AHBs) in each local authority. This data is available to the end of Q3 2023 and is published on the statistics' page of my Department’s website at the following link: gov.ie - Overall social and affordable housing provision (www.gov.ie)

Data for Q4 2023 is currently being collated and verified and will be published shortly.

It is worth noting that the Affordable Housing Fund (AHF) is open and available on an ongoing basis to support all local authorities to address any affordability needs identified in their area.

In addition, the First Home Scheme is available to support first-time buyers in purchasing new homes in the private market through the use of an equity share model. Full information on the scheme, which is available nationwide, may be found on the dedicated website, www.firsthomescheme.ie.

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 out to 2030 comprising of 54,000 affordable homes to be delivered 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.

Local authorities have published 5 year Housing Delivery Action Plans (HDAP) setting out affordable housing delivery targets up to 2026. Both Louth and Meath County Councils have set out plans to deliver 226 and 151 affordable homes respectively over this period in their HDAPs. This does not include additional affordable homes that will be delivered by the LDA, AHBs, First Home and via the higher Part V requirements introduced in the Affordable Housing Act 2021. The Delivery action plans for both Louth and Meath’s can be found on their respective websites.

The Department continues to liaise with all local authorities, including Louth and Meath, and other delivery partners in relation to the further development of an affordable housing delivery programme that will respond effectively to all affordable housing requirements identified at a local level.

In addition, the First Home Scheme, 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 is available nationwide and more information can be found at www.firsthomescheme.ie/