Michael Cahill (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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599. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government if he will introduce a scheme of affordable housing and low-cost sites for towns and villages with a population of less than 10,000; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2746/25]

James Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail)
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Affordability and the chance to own a home is at the heart of the Government’s housing policy. As detailed under Housing for All, the Government plans to deliver 54,000 affordable homes, including 36,000 affordable purchase and 18,000 cost rental homes, by 2030. A comprehensive implementation strategy is in place to support the various affordable housing schemes now being delivered by a range of delivery partners.

All local authorities have developed and published their Housing Delivery Action Plans setting out their plans to deliver social and affordable housing during the period 2022-2026. This follows a comprehensive Housing Needs and Demand Assessment. Each local authority's Action Plan is available on their official website.

The Affordable Housing Fund (AHF) is available to all local authorities to assist towards the cost of developing affordable housing at locations where significant affordability needs have been identified. My Department, the Housing Agency and Housing Delivery Co-ordination Office of the Local Government Management Association continue to be available to assist local authorities in relation to ongoing development of their affordable housing delivery programmes.

The Ready to Build Scheme, funded by the Croí Cónaithe Towns Fund, was launched in September 2022. Under the Scheme, local authorities will make serviced sites in towns and villages available to potential individual purchasers to build their homes. These sites will be available at a discount on the market value of the site for the purposes of building a property for occupation as the principal private residence of the purchaser. The level of discount to the individual will depend on the level of servicing cost incurred by the local authority before the sale of the site but will not exceed €30,000. The amount of such discount will be reflected in the sale price of the site.

Under the scheme, it is intended that local authorities will develop existing sites in their control or purchase sites in towns and villages and make them available for development by providing services and access to the sites concerned. It is a matter for the local authority to identify a suitable site/s that is either already in their ownership or that can be acquired and that meets the conditions of the scheme.

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. Further, since September 2023, the First Home Scheme now supports those who wish to build their own home. The scheme is available nationwide and more information can be found at:

Other measures such as the Local Authority Home Loan, the Local Authority Purchase and Renovation Scheme, the Help to Buy Incentive, and the Vacant Property Refurbishment Grant are also available to help make home ownership more affordable.