Pádraig O'Sullivan (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail)
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108. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government for an update on the provision of an affordable housing scheme for the Kildare South constituency; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43322/24]

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail)
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The Affordable Housing Act 2021 established a framework to make affordable housing available, setting up affordable purchase and cost rental schemes for delivery by key partners.

As regards local authority delivery, funding approvals are now in place to support the delivery of over 4,300 affordable homes by 21 local authorities with subsidy from the Affordable Housing Fund. The legislative framework and arrangements in place to support the affordable housing schemes are proving effective.

In implementing the objectives of Housing for All, each local authority, including Kildare, has prepared and published a Housing Delivery Action Plan in respect of local authority supported or overseen delivery from 2022 to 2026.

My Department, in conjunction with the Housing Delivery Co-ordination Office of the Local Government Management Association and the Housing Agency, is available to advise and support local authorities in responding effectively to identified affordability needs.

Kildare has already successfully delivered 19 affordable purchase homes at Grey Abbey, Kildare with the support of the Affordable Housing Fund.

The First Home scheme is also available and actively supporting affordable home purchase nationwide. To date, First Home has delivered affordable home ownership solutions to 680 eligible persons in County Kildare and will continue to be a significant measure in terms of addressing affordability and promoting home ownership in Kildare in the coming years.

Beyond affordable purchase delivery, 331 cost rental units have also been delivered to date in Kildare by Approved Housing Bodies and the Land Development Agency.

The Land Development Agency is also tasked with developing social and affordable homes on over 30 state land sites, including the Devoy Barracks site at Naas, where construction of housing commenced in December 2023. 219 homes in total are expected to be delivered over two phases in Q4 2025 and Q4 2026.

My Department publishes affordable housing delivery reports based on quarterly returns received from all local authorities. These reports are available on the statistics page of my Department’s website at the following link:

www.gov.ie/en/collection/6060e-overall-social-housing-provision/?#affordable-housing-delivery