Matt Carthy (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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120. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government their targets for delivering affordable housing in County Monaghan; and the number delivered in the years 2020 to date. [24036/24]

Rose Conway-Walsh (Mayo, Sinn Fein)
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127. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the steps he has taken to ensure this year's social and affordable housing build targets are met in County Mayo; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24390/24]

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 120 and 127 together.

Under Housing for All, the Government has targeted delivery of 47,600 new social rented homes and 28,500 new affordable homes from 2022 to 2026.

Each local authority has prepared its own 5-year Housing Delivery Action Plan setting out their planned social and affordable housing delivery. Mayo and Monaghan have published their plans on their own websites.

While Mayo does not have a specific affordability target, it has identified localised affordability need in the key urban locations of Westport and Castlebar where some new households being formed would not be able to access housing for purchase or rent at prices/rents affordable to them.

The Affordable Housing Fund (AHF) is open and available to support all local authorities to address such affordable housing need identified in their area.

Mayo has received funding approval towards 13 affordable purchase homes in Westport, and is proactively engaging with my Department in relation to developing further affordability schemes.

Monaghan has not applied for AHF assistance to date.

Comprehensive programme level statistics covering social and affordable housing delivery programmes are published quarterly. Data for 2022 and 2023 is available on the Department’s website www.gov.ie/en/collection/6060e-overall-social-housing-provision/.

The published data includes First Home scheme activity and shows that first time buyers in both Mayo and Monaghan are availing of this opportunity to secure a home. This will become an increasingly significant delivery mechanism as the scheme takes hold and develops further.

I anticipate that the Croí Cónaithe Towns Fund, which includes the Vacant Property Refurbishment Grant and the Ready to Build Scheme, will prove valuable in addressing affordable housing need in Mayo and Monaghan. Both authorities have vacant homes officers in place who can assist the public with bringing vacant homes back into use, with up to €70,000 in grant support available to do so.

The Housing Delivery Coordination Office of the Local Government Management Agency and the resources of the Housing Agency are available to advise and support local authorities in the development of their social and affordable housing delivery programmes.