Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent)
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407.To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the number of section 179A planning exemptions that have received stage 1 approval from his Department, broken down by local authority, including the location and number of units in each scheme, in tabular form; the number of such schemes which have commenced construction to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25229/24]

Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent)
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408.To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the number of section 179A social housing planning exemptions that have received stage 1 approval from his Department, broken down by local authority, including the location and number of units in each scheme, in tabular form; the number of such schemes which have commenced construction to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25230/24]

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 407 and 408 together.

Legislation enacted in December 2022 amended the Planning and Development Act. The provisions under sections 3, 13 and 14 of the Planning and Development and Foreshore (Amendment) Act 2022 which insert section 179A into the Planning and Development Act 2000, as amended, have commenced. These provisions provide that housing development by, on behalf of, or in partnership with a local authority which commences construction before the end of 2024 will be exempt from the Local Authority ’Part 8’ process, subject to a number of specific conditions. Where a development does not satisfy the conditions set out in section 179A, the normal Local Authority own development arrangements under the ‘Part 8’ process will apply.

Reporting is required under article 39A of the Planning and Development Regulations 2001, and data provided by LAs set out in the table below, indicates the number of units where site notices have been issued by each local authority as of the end of Q4 2023. Data for Q1 2024 has been requested from local authorities and will be available in due course.