Vol. 1052 No. 3
6. Deputy James Lawless asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he is confident that all key housing indicators are continuing on a positive trajectory; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15672/24]
35. Deputy James Lawless asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage his assessment of the number of commencement notices, that is, residential construction starts, to date in 2024; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15671/24]
49. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of homes completed in Cork in 2023; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15653/24]
I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Dillon, and wish him well in his role. I acknowledge the courtesy, time and effort given to us by the Minister of State, Deputy O'Donnell, while he was in the role. Deputy Dillon has big shoes to fill.
Is the Minister confident that all the key housing indicators are continuing on a positive trajectory? Will he refer specifically to the continuing challenges in rural Ireland?
I propose to take Questions Nos. 6, 35 and 49 together.
At its core, Housing for All seeks to significantly increase the supply of quality, affordable housing. The plan comprises a suite of priority measures to transform our housing system, secure its sustainability into the future and support the delivery of more than 300,000 new homes by 2030. This will see an average of 33,000 new homes delivered for each year of the plan, rising to more than 40,000 per year by the end of the decade. Securing the level of investment required to support this delivery is critical. Accordingly, the Government is making record State funding available for housing. Some €5.1 billion is committed for 2024, which is the highest ever provision in the history of the State. The Government has introduced a range of measures to ensure a balanced delivery of homes for private ownership, social housing and private rental. Output in 2022 and 2023 shows we are clearly right on track. All key indicators, namely planning permissions, commencements and completions, continue to trend upwards, auguring well for 2025 and beyond.
Supply is increasing year on year, with a substantial uplift in the number of new homes delivered since the launch of Housing for All in 2021. The most recent completions data from the Central Statistics Office, CSO, show more than 29,700 new homes were completed in 2022, and 32,600 in 2023, which are the first two full years of Housing for All implementation. New home delivery last year was at its highest level in 15 years. It was 10% higher than in 2022 and 13% higher than the Housing for All target of 29,000 for 2023. More than half of housing delivered in the past decade has been delivered in the past four years, with 103,000 new homes built during that period. This progress is being mirrored at local level across the country. For example, the quantum of new homes delivered in Cork city and county has increased by one third since 2019. More than 3,100 new homes were delivered there in 2023, comprising 1,044 in Cork city and 2,064 in the county.
While housing supply continues to be impacted by external factors, including construction cost inflation, high interest rates and skilled labour shortages, the outlook for this year and next is equally promising. Planning permission was granted for 41,225 new homes in 2023, which was an increase of 21% on 2022 and not far off the levels seen in 2020 and 2021. At the same time, commencement activity increased significantly in 2023. The 32,801 new homes commenced was the highest annual figure for a calendar year in the past decade. The momentum has continued in 2024, with 7,056 new homes commenced in the first two months, which is a massive increase of 72% on the same period last year. Rolling 12-month commencements for the period to the end of February were more than 35,750, which is an increase of 33% on the same period ending February 2023. Indeed, rolling 12-month commencements have been above 32,800 in each of the past three months.
Initial forecasts suggest the target of 33,450 new homes for 2024 will be met. Moreover, robust planning permissions and strengthening commencement activity over the past 12 months suggest the substantial uplift in housing delivery in 2022 and 2023 can be sustained into 2025. Housing for All is clearly delivering. I am confident the funding and targeted schemes committed to under the plan will continue to support an increased supply of affordable housing across all tenures, whether social, private rented or private purchase, right across the country.
It is evident that Housing for All is working. I acknowledge the work of the Minister, Ministers of State and officials in the Department, as well as the hard-working teams in local authorities right across the country. It would be remiss of me not to mention the team in County Longford. In the first six months of this year, the council will successfully tenant 82 new properties and, in addition, complete the regeneration of the 26 units in Colmcille Terrace that were promised by the previous Government. That regeneration is being delivered under the current Minister. The provision also includes 13 houses in the small village of Aughnacliffe and a further 20 in Ballymahon.
Challenges remain but we are seeing real successes. Never have I been as convinced of the conviction of the Minister and the Department to address them as I am now. It is interesting to note that although we hear a lot about waiting lists, we have seen waiting lists fall in Longford in the lifetime of the Government. They are down 45% between 2019 and 2022. In addition, the council has brought 141 houses back into use through the voids programme. The Department has put considerable weight behind that scheme. I thank the Minister of State for his continued support for local authorities.
I thank the Deputy for his comments. It is encouraging to consider the really wonderful progress being made by Longford County Council. That progress is mirrored right across the country. There is no doubt that local authorities are showing ambition, led by the Government and underpinned by record funding, to deliver housing of all tenure types. In particular, the Government is conscious that delivering in rural communities is equally as important as delivering in the large urban centres. To that end, the funding provided to Uisce Éireann to put in place wastewater infrastructure is critical. The efforts are showing dividends. Rural housing is critically important in sustaining rural communities in County Longford and elsewhere. The schemes in place to bring vacant dwellings back into use are delivering really significant housing output. They are delivering for communities. As I said previously, we will be reviewing the housing targets, underpinned by research from the ESRI, later this year.
It is a truly extraordinary achievement, considering where we have come from, that we are on the cusp of breaching delivery of 34,000 houses this year. If we were to believe some in the Opposition, there is no building going on anywhere in the country. Yet, driving into Dublin, one sees cranes everywhere. In every provincial town in Ireland, there is large-scale house-building under way.
In Longford, we are seeing considerable success for first-time buyers, with the provision to them of 305 out of 378 new homes. I commend the Department and the Minister, Deputy O'Brien, on the help-to-buy scheme. It is a really successful scheme that has given a real and meaningful opportunity to young people across Ireland to build their first home. We are making real progress. It is progress that is sustainable. I have no doubt that over the last year of the lifetime of the Government, we will see considerable further success thanks to the hard work of the Department.
The Minister of State spoke about the importance of building houses in rural areas. It is interesting to look at the housing commencements for last year on a per capita basis. The numbers are much higher for Dublin, of course, but we can look at a county like Kildare. For every 80 people in County Kildare, one house was built. It is important to state that these numbers are on a per capita basis, which means they are fair to begin with. In Sligo, there was one house built for every 273 people. Leitrim had one house built for every 248 people. Roscommon had one for every 570 people. Yes, houses are being built but the vast majority of them are in areas outside the north-west region. What action is the Minister of State taking to counteract that?
I thank Deputies Flaherty and Harkin for their contributions. Right across the country, we are seeing a significant increase in housing commencements. It is the responsibility of local authorities to show ambition. As I said, Housing for All is underpinned by record State funding. The local authorities, through their housing strategies, must ensure serviced land is available and that they are meeting the infrastructural requirements and meeting the demand that is there for all tenure types.
Schemes like Croí Cónaithe are delivering, particularly in small rural towns and villages, where refurbishment commencements are starting to deliver. We need to see more. There is still considerable dereliction in our small towns and villages and that needs to be addressed very proactively. Resources have been put into local authorities to try to achieve that. I appreciate the comments the Deputy is making but delivery is happening and the Government has not been found wanting in providing the resources or various schemes to ensure delivery.
7. Deputy Michael Moynihan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage for a report on the initiatives being taken to bring vacant properties back into use; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15708/24]
22. Deputy Martin Kenny asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he can provide a breakdown of the number of Croí Cónaithe grants (including the vacant property refurbishment grant) paid out across Sligo and Leitrim since the beginning of the scheme. [15675/24]
32. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage when statistics for the vacant homes grant for quarter 4 of 2023 and quarter 1 of 2024 will be published; whether he is satisfied with the uptake of the grant to date, including the number of applications, the number of approvals and the number of grants paid; if he has any proposals to improve the terms of the scheme or its administration; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15306/24]
64. Deputy Cormac Devlin asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will report on how the vacant property refurbishment grant is addressing vacancy and making the bringing of existing properties back into use more affordable; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15662/24]
91. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to outline the details on how he and his Department will simplify and enhance the application process and application timelines for the Croí Cónaithe scheme considering the very worrying figures reported in a paper (details supplied) on the number of applicants who have successfully drawn down funding on the scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15674/24]
It is very evident that Housing for All is not a one-trick pony; it is multidimensional and will result in the building of new houses. Through Croí Cónaithe and the repair-and-lease schemes, we will bring derelict properties back into stock. Could the Minister of State comment on the initiatives under way to bring vacant properties back into stock?
I propose to take Questions Nos. 7, 22, 32, 64 and 91 together.
Tackling vacancy is a key priority for this Government. Pathway 4 of Housing for All sets out a blueprint to address vacancy and make effective use of our existing housing stock. The vacant homes action plan, which the Minister, Deputy O’Brien, launched in January 2023, outlines the significant progress that has been made in addressing vacancy, along with the actions that are being pursued to return vacant properties back into use as homes. The Department will publish a progress report on the plan in April, setting out what it has achieved in 2023 and further steps that will be taken in 2024.
A key initiative is the vacant property refurbishment grant, which the Minister launched in July 2022. A grant of up to a maximum of €50,000 is now available for the refurbishment of a vacant property for occupation as a principal private residence and property that will be made available for rent. Where the refurbishment costs are expected to exceed the standard grant of €50,000, a top-up grant of up to €20,000 is available where the property is confirmed to be derelict, bringing the total grant available for a derelict property up to €70,000. The grant is available in respect of vacant and derelict properties built up to and including in 2007 in towns, villages, cities and rural areas. The grant is making a real impact in addressing vacancy and making the refurbishment of these vacant and derelict properties a more affordable option for those seeking to purchase a new home. The level of interest and feedback on the grant has been extremely positive, with over 7,362 applications reported as received to date, 4,253 applications approved and 250 grants paid out as works are completed.
Currently, from the data available to my Department, refurbishment works are taking some 13 months to complete, at which point the local authority conducts a final visit. Where everything is in order and the necessary documentation is provided by the applicant, the grant will then be paid. It is anticipated that the payment of grants by local authorities will increase significantly during 2024 as more works are completed in line with approval timelines.
My Department publishes data on applications for the vacant property refurbishment grant on its website on a quarterly basis. Statistics to the end of March 2024 are due to be published in the coming week, including data on the number of applications received, approved, rejected and paid for per local authority and the total value of grants paid.
When the Croí Cónaithe towns fund was launched, a commitment was given that a comprehensive review of the schemes under it would be undertaken. That review is now under way and is expected to be completed by the middle of the year.
Another key initiative launched under the vacant homes action plan in April 2023 was a new compulsory purchase order activation programme. This programme supports a proactive and systematic approach by local authorities to the activation of vacant properties. It also includes guidance for local authorities to actively use their legislative powers to acquire vacant and derelict properties where engagement with owners has been unsuccessful. Targets were set for each local authority for 2023 and these will be reported on later this year.
A key support for local authorities to tackle vacancy has been provided through the €150 million urban regeneration development fund for local authorities to acquire vacant or derelict properties for reuse or sale, using their compulsory purchase powers were necessary. The fund will be replenished from the proceeds received from the sale or reuse of a site, allowing a local authority to establish a rolling programme to tackle vacancy.
The most efficient home to deliver is one that already exists. I firmly believe that the commitment this Government has made to addressing vacancy and dereliction and the actions we have taken will continue to play a vital role in delivering homes and revitalising local communities.
I thank the Minister of State. If I am not mistaken, that was his first reply to a parliamentary question. I hope there will be some windfall for Longford as a result. I will send through the representations straight away afterwards.
It goes without saying that Croí Cónaithe is one of the genuine successes of the programme for Government. We are seeing its benefits right across the country, notwithstanding the vehement opposition of Opposition parties to it. Looking through the parliamentary questions, one will see that many Opposition Deputies are following up on queries on the scheme. It is working really well. I have first-hand experience of it from Longford, where our vacant homes officer, Marianna Alexandrino, is working incredibly well with the applicants. If an applicant is successful in accessing the full grant of €70,000, and also the SEAI grant of €33,000, it means a €133,000 injection into the creation of what will in many cases be a first family home. Therefore, the scheme is a genuinely meaningful initiative. More important, it puts people back into rural Ireland to live and often results in the refurbishment of derelict properties.
I thank Deputy Flaherty. He has been a great champion of tackling vacancy and dereliction in his county, Longford. Under the vacant property refurbishment scheme, we have seen significant progress in County Longford, with over 124 applications received. Forty-eight have now been approved, and five were rejected, unfortunately. Three grants have been issued.
The Government has introduced a really important measure. The delivery of the vacant property refurbishment grant has been significant all across the country. Over 4,279 applications have now been approved, which is significant. It is our responsibility in this House to continue to campaign so owners will utilise the measure. It is important that we bring our existing housing stock back into use, revitalising not only urban and town centres but also rural areas where people want to resettle and own a home.
The figures for Longford are very impressive. We have had 124 applications under the Croí Cónaithe scheme. In addition to that scheme, I would like to see a greater emphasis on the repair-and-lease scheme in rural areas. There is still significant low-hanging fruit if we can revisit that scheme and tweak it, specifically for provincial towns. We are seeing some improvements in this regard, particularly regarding former public houses that are being reconfigured and repurposed as apartments. However, there would be further capacity for growth and opportunity if we considered a specific repair-and-lease scheme for rural areas.
I congratulate the Minister of State on his appointment. I look forward to working with him.
I would suggest, if Deputy Flaherty does not mind, while he is looking for a windfall in Longford, to look at his neighbours first, in Sligo, Roscommon, Leitrim and so on.
I want to raise the issue that the Minister of State has raised before now, which is the need for staged payments for the Croí Cónaithe grants. I know the Minister of State supports this. As he has said himself, it is similar to the standard practice as it is now when people are building homes. I do not expect the Minister of State to deal with that immediately but I would like to know that he supports it.
There are two other issues. I think we may need more staff in local authorities to deal with the applications for Croí Cónaithe, so I am looking for support for local authorities. Is there any possibility, in exceptional circumstances, for an extension to the timeline for completion?
I echo the comments congratulating the Minister of State, Deputy Dillon, on his new position. I point to the statistics about two towns in County Clare and the vacancy rates that have been experienced there in recent years. The most recent statistics show that Kilrush is at 24.6% and Shannon town is at 29.8%. I flag that with the Minister and Ministers of State today. The Minister of State mentioned the Department is developing a programme for local authorities. In his response, he might come back with further detail about progress on that and when he expects to have that ready to go for counties like Clare specifically.
I thank all the Deputies for their contributions. The staged payments question is under review and considerations are being taken in that regard. On the scheme itself, significant work has been done at a local authority level with regard to additional resources. We would hope to be in a position to make a further announcement in that regard. We have seen town regeneration officers being integrated into local authorities. We have seen vacant home officers in each of the 31 local authorities, which has been a significant step forward. We are always conscious that local authorities need additional resources. I know the Minister, Deputy O'Brien, is working diligently in the Department and with the Department of public expenditure and reform to seek funding in that regard. This scheme is really important. We want to ensure there are no delays with the approval process and the completion of these works. It is important we can continue, through this measure, to increase housing supply and to make it as easy and accessible as possible for everyone.
Ba mhaith liom an deis seo a ghlacadh freisin comhghairdeas a dhéanamh leat. Go n-éirí leat i do ról nua.
8. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage when he intends to publish the report from the Housing Commission on the right to housing. [15610/24]
I commend the Government side, particularly the diligent backbenchers, on making an incredibly unsuccessful scheme sound successful. Three grants being drawn down in Longford in a year and a half is not, by any normal definition, a success. There were only 100 across the State.
That is not true.
This scheme is good in principle but an absolute failure in practice. If the Minister wants to sell three drawdowns in a year and a half to his constituents as a success, far be it for me to get in his way. The Minister has had the report of the Housing Commission on the right to housing for almost a year. When will he publish it? More importantly, when will he act on it?
Unquestionably, the Croí Cónaithe grant scheme is working extremely well. The Deputy would also know that, because it is Exchequer funding, there have to be checks and balances on the payments of grants. I know Sinn Féin might play fast and loose with money from time to time but, in fairness, it is Exchequer funding and we have to be careful with it. The scheme has taken hold. I know it is a grave disappointment to the Deputy. Just go and meet the householders who have benefited from this and the many thousands more who will. We are committed to it and will drive it forward.
To get to the Deputy's question, which he asked in the last three seconds of his contribution, in line with programme for Government commitments, I established the Commission on Housing in December 2021 as an independent body. I commend all the members of the commission on the work they undertook on that to evaluate Ireland's housing system, including issues such as tenure, standards, sustainability, and quality-of-life issues in the provision of housing.
It has the main report to do. At the same time, I tasked the commission to advise the Government on the critical factors to be considered regarding a referendum on housing and, if appropriate, to recommend wording for constitutional change. While this is not a commitment to a referendum on a right to housing per se, it is not precluded from the commission's terms of reference. The commission has submitted its report and recommendations to me regarding a proposed constitutional amendment. The report is comprehensive and, in reaching its conclusions, the commission examined many issues, including the range of complex constitutional questions that would arise. As part of the work, the commission undertook a comprehensive consultation, which I think was very important. It researched international experience, evaluated various proposed wordings and considered other critical factors involved with introducing amendments to the Constitution. I am currently considering the commission's comprehensive analysis and report as well as the next steps in the process, and I expect to bring these to Government in the not-too-distant future. I will come back in a supplementary reply with more detail.
It seems to me that the Minister has left out a few crucial details. The first, of course, is that a memo was due to go to Cabinet on this matter last autumn. The Minister thought he was able to proceed to refer the report to the Oireachtas committee for its consideration. That was blocked by his Government partners and now the thing sits in abeyance. I obviously have not seen the report, although I am keen to. I am a strong advocate of enshrining a strong right to housing in the Constitution, as is my party. It is quite remarkable he has had the report in draft form since June or July last year and in full form since August. I believe a minority report was submitted by a number of members of the commission, which I think is healthy for debate. When will the Minister publish the report? Does he intend to bring a memo to Cabinet for the referendum to be held or to refer the matter, that is, to kick it further down the road, to the Oireachtas housing committee? I do not think that is necessary given the extensive deliberations which, as he said, have been carried out by the Housing Commission, which I commend on its efforts.
The Deputy has rightly mentioned there are two reports on this. There is the majority report and the minority report, both of which have to be considered together. I welcome that. It shows that the commission has done good work and there are different views on it. It is complex. We have seen with regard to Bunreacht na hÉireann that one must be extremely careful and respectful of any proposed changes to it. The deliberations on this will not be rushed and indeed have not been.
The next step is that I will be bringing a memorandum to Government to seek advice and input from Government colleagues. It is not a question of kicking it down the road. I genuinely mean that because I have a particular interest in this. I will receive feedback from Cabinet. I would expect the joint committee to have a role in this too.
For the information of the House, and I know Deputy Bacik was here earlier, we have not received the main, overall commission report. That has been spoken about. I think people get mixed up with that report, which I am still awaiting. I imagine that will be informative about what housing will look like in the future in Ireland. Those are the next steps. I will keep Deputy Ó Broin informed of progress.
It is interesting the Minister did not refute or contradict my suggestion that there was an intention to bring a memo to Cabinet last autumn but there was a-----
No. I will do that when I come back in.
-----disagreement between Government parties. If I am incorrect, I would like the Minister to put that clearly on the record. The problem is that this is another of those occasions where he makes it seem like he is doing something but where it appears that nothing is actually going to happen. I suspect what will happen is that eventually a memo will go to Cabinet, with both the commission's reports, including the one he has had since last June on the right to housing and the one on the wider issues, which I understand is imminent. The Minister will refer them to the Oireachtas housing committee and give it six months to deliberate and come back, by which time, of course, this Government's term of office will be near its end, and he will never have to put into action the promises he has made but has failed to deliver on. The Minister says he is an advocate for a referendum on the right to housing. I think he should publish the report, let the rest of us have a look at it, and bring his memo to Cabinet as soon as possible. The Minister should put his money where his mouth is on this issue.
To clarify for Deputy Ó Broin on Croí Cónaithe, if he is familiar with the workings of his scheme and how it assists in his constituency-----
I allowed the Deputy in to ask a supplementary question.
God loves a trier.
-----the average time is 13 months for the scheme. It would be extraordinary to have any more than four grants issued at this stage because, as the Minister rightly pointed out, there are checks and balances.
A roaring success. Absolutely.
I know Deputy Ó Broin is a master of the U-turn and will be doing a U-turn on this scheme.
I feel the need to look for a bit of clarity. There is a minority report and a majority report. The Minister has received the minority report but he has not yet received the majority report.
I will come back to Deputy Wynne on it.
If the Minister would tell me what is still outstanding, that would be most helpful. In respect of the Minister's comments on the referendum and the need to get it right, this is 100% correct. The results of the recent referendums are of great concern. They were widely criticised, and rightly so. Unfortunately, I feel the need to state how important this is for people. Many people do not have any affiliation to a political party but they are scrambling to try to find housing. It is very important for them we have a referendum on this issue to make it a right for people to have housing. Only then will we achieve the proper game-changer, regardless of who has the majority in this House.
I have the majority report and the minority report on the proposals on how housing would be reflected in the Constitution. I do not have the overall Housing Commission report. It will come in time. It is about the future of housing in Ireland. While we are doing this, as we have said in answer to questions previously, it is important we continue to increase our housing supply, including affordable, social, private and across cost rental. We are doing this but challenges still remain.
For the record of the House, because Deputy Ó Broin seems to have a crystal ball and unique insight into the operation of Cabinet, and perhaps he is dying to get in there himself, the reality is there is no disagreement in this regard. The Government, and I as Minister, will have to consider both views in the majority and minority reports. We will do this. In near course I will bring forward a memo to the Cabinet and seek input from colleagues in government, which is the right thing to do. I will then set out the process after this. I will not pre-empt what these decisions will be.
9. Deputy Michael Moynihan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage his plans in relation to the provision of one-off housing; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15709/24]
We need to focus minds and attention on the issue of one-off housing in rural Ireland. Before the lights go out on the current Government, I would like to see some commitment and clarity on our plans and proposals for one-off rural housing. Will the Minister make a statement on this?
I thank Deputy Flaherty. Updated rural housing guidelines are being prepared to expand on national policy objective 19 of the national planning framework, which makes a policy distinction between rural areas under urban influence on the one hand and structurally weaker rural areas where population levels may be low or declining on the other. Under the national planning framework, considerations of social or economic need are to be applied by planning authorities in rural areas under urban influence. The draft guidelines will set out relevant planning criteria to be applied in development plans for rural housing based on the considerations detailed in NPO 19 of the national planning framework and will highlight the need to manage development in certain areas, such as the areas around cities and larger towns and environmentally sensitive areas, to avoid overdevelopment.
Due care is being taken to ensure the updated guidelines will not conflict with fundamental EU freedoms and will comply with EU environmental legislation and decisions of the European Court of Justice. The guidelines will address these complex issues while also providing a framework for the sustainable management of housing in rural areas. The draft guidelines are subject to legal review and, following my approval, the draft guidelines will be published for a period of public consultation.
I welcome the update on the draft guidelines for rural one-off housing. The landscape has changed significantly for rural housing because we have had fundamental issues with regard to construction costs, material costs and the cost of building in rural Ireland. It might be much more prohibitive to build a house in rural Ireland, particularly a one-off house, than what is in the guidelines. I would welcome if the Minister of State were able to give some indication that he is cognisant of the significant ramping-up of the cost of building a house in rural Ireland and that some acknowledgement of this would be made.
We have a significant challenge, notwithstanding the success of the much-acclaimed Croí Cónaithe scheme. We have a challenge with getting more people living in rural Ireland, where schools and communities are under challenge. We need to make it much easier and much more accessible to live in rural Ireland. When we get these guidelines, they need to have meat and teeth. They need to make it not only aspirational but tangible for people to live in a house they own on their own ground in rural Ireland.
I thank Deputy Flaherty. With regard to the question posed, the national planning framework supports new housing in rural areas and rural development generally. We have seen over the past 30 years that, in general, 25% of new rural housing has been constructed across all housing developments. There is no cap or ban on the granting of planning permission for new homes in rural areas. Certainly the planning authorities provide certain targets for new housing as part of the statutory development plan process, including rural areas outside of towns and villages. I am certainly cognisant of the need to ensure we continue to meet the needs of rural areas to support local schools and GAA clubs to ensure we have vibrant communities. Certainly planning comes up again and again. I welcome that there will be rural housing guidelines. I know the Minister is committed to this and we want to see them published after public consultation.
I thank the Minister of State. I look forward to the new guidelines. I appreciate there is no ban or cap as such on building in rural Ireland but there is a complicity of issues. Notwithstanding planning regulations, the issue of the cost of building a house in rural Ireland is something we do need to look at and address. Croí Cónaithe exempts people from some of the challenges and they get grant of approximately €103,000 if they also access the SEAI grant. We need to look at some type of incentive for people who are going to the effort of building a house in rural Ireland. They are making a lifetime investment. Invariably they are going to build a house the value of which they will never actually realise. As a Government committed to and rooted in rural Ireland, we need to look at making it advantageous for people to build houses there.
Deputy Dillon is the fourth Minister of State since 2018 to stand up in the House and read out almost exactly the same script. It is an open secret, and this will be of value to Deputy Flaherty, that the guidelines have been ready and complete for at least two if not three Ministers of State, but for reasons of political controversy they are not being published. We will not see the guidelines, I wager, this side of the local elections and I am not convinced we will see them this side of a general election either. Like Deputy Flaherty, I believe they should be published. There should be public consultation. When Deputy Flaherty is promoting the great success of the Croí Cónaithe refurbishment grant scheme, he should also inform his constituents that guidelines which should have been published years ago are being sat on in the Department of housing in the Custom House because Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael are too cowardly to publish them and let the public see what is being proposed. If I am wrong, the Minister of State, Deputy Dillon, will be the first Minister of State since 2018 to prove me wrong.
I thank the Deputies. To answer Deputy Flaherty, we are all conscious of the increase in the cost of building materials due to external factors, including the war in Ukraine and inflationary measures. It certainly is a significant barrier. If we look at the number of approvals of new developments, the planning system in Ireland continues to deliver substantial planning permission for new homes every year in Ireland, with 10,573 planning applications submitted in 2023. The number of planning permissions granted for one-off housing in 2021 was 7,499. It was 6,924 in 2022 and 5,032 in 2023. We are seeing one-off housing being constructed in all rural areas.
Certainly, we cannot rest on our laurels. The draft guidelines have to be formed through due process involving legal review and ministerial approval. On the finalisation of the draft guidelines, they will be published. They will be focused on a public consultation process. It is the ambition of this Government to publish them at some point.
12. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will support the establishment of a consultation forum for the future development of Columb Barracks, Mullingar by the Land Development Agency; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15700/24]
13. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will report on the progress being made by the Land Development Agency in providing affordable and social housing; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15665/24]
This is a simple, straightforward question. Can the Minister of State give an update on when a consultation forum will be re-established for the development by the Land Development Agency, LDA, of Columb Barracks in Mullingar?
I propose to take Questions Nos. 12 and 13 together.
As a key partner in the Government's delivery of affordable and social homes, the Land Development Agency is activating and securing the delivery of social and affordable homes in stalled planning consented developments, managing the State's own lands to develop new homes and partnering with local authorities to unlock delivery at scale on their lands. In the longer term, it will assemble strategic land banks from a mix of public and private lands, making these available for housing. Through Project Tosaigh, its market engagement initiative, the LDA has delivered more than 1,000 new homes of the targeted 8,000 to date. In total, more than 2,500 social, affordable purchase and cost-rental homes have either been delivered, contracted or are in the approved pipeline. This represents the commencement of a strong pipeline of delivery, which is ramping up significantly. The LDA is confident that it is on track to deliver 5,000 of these homes by 2026. The direct delivery pipeline on LDA land or in partnership with local authorities involves more than 10,000 homes with developments at various stages from design to nearing completion, with more being added as new lands become available or are acquired. Major progress has been made in bringing schemes through planning and approximately 6,000 of these homes now have planning permission.
The land at Columb Barracks in Mullingar is in the ownership of the Department of Defence, and it has the potential to deliver approximately 100 new homes. The Government agreed to transfer this site, together with 19 other sites, to the Land Development Agency under Housing for All. I understand that an advisory group was set up in 2021 to enable a better understanding of the complexities surrounding the site and its recent uses, as well as to provide an opportunity for key partners to collaborate and advise the LDA in developing a vision for the barracks site. A key part of the overall site is currently being used for temporary accommodation for Ukrainian temporary protection residents and other international protection applicants. I am informed that a meeting of key stakeholders, including Westmeath County Council and the Department of Defence, took place in early March to discuss the up-to-date position, the current potential for the site and the next steps. Following this, I expect the LDA to convene a meeting with the wider stakeholder advisory group shortly, with a focus on considering the range of uses for the site and a timeline for the transfer of the housing development on the site.
I thank the Minister of State for the reply, but it is extremely disappointing, to be frank. The LDA was announced in 2018. As part of that announcement, Columb Barracks in Mullingar was on the initial list of sites to be developed. As the Minister of State has referenced himself, almost 100 houses could be provided there.
On Tuesday, 29 September 2020, I, along with the then Minister of State at the Department, Deputy Peter Burke, met with the LDA. It outlined a sequence for a timeline for the consultation to take place and when we could envisage a draft plan for development. In July 2021, there was a tour of the facility and the public consultation was extended to 30 July 2021. Thereafter, we expected a draft plan to be published for how this very historic site would be developed, how the historic buildings were going to be protected, how we would make it of use to community groups that are already there, as well as for other community groups, and how we were going make it available for housing development. Three years later-----
We are over time.
-----we are no wiser about the development of this iconic site in Mullingar.
Deputy-----
Frankly, we need something better and more concrete, so I can-----
Deputy, we are way over time.
-----go back to my constituents in relation to Columb Barracks in Mullingar.
Hear, hear.
Are you going to give up the second minute, which I hope to make up?
Well, try to stick within the times.
If other speakers stuck within their times, I would not be condensed.
Hear, hear.
Please, I am asking for your co-operation.
You could get co-operation from others.
The Deputy will appreciate that there are several complexities around the site, particularly in relation to the protected structures that are located on the front of the Columb Barracks site, which may be suitable for cultural and heritage use. I know the Deputy had discussions about this already during the tour he had. It is hugely important for the town of Mullingar that the potential for education, culture and heritage is a key focus.
The site is also currently being used to accommodate Ukrainians under temporary protection and international protection applicants. There are approximately 60 families there, so the Deputy can appreciate that existing uses of the site are adding to the complexity of its long-term development. Progression is happening. We will engage with the Deputy and the LDA to try to progress this. I appreciate that this is a hugely strategically important site for the town of Mullingar.
Once upon a time, in its heyday, this site housed 330 men. I always said that when the temporary protection applicants moved in there, we should have done up the old buildings and housed them there. We should have utilised the buildings, rather than putting modular units in the square. That did not happen, unfortunately. It did not happen because we did not have a plan in place, and because we were reacting to the development of this site.
We need a concrete plan going forward so we can know exactly how this site will be developed and how it will be protected from historic and cultural perspectives. We have ideas for a museum for Mullingar. There are youth clubs working there. There are many community groups there. For example, the Order of Malta is working there, but it cannot even invest in its building because it does not know what the long-term plan is for this site.
If the Minister of State can take anything back from what I am saying today, I ask him to reconvene the public consultation forum and make sure we have a concrete plan in place in the not-too-distant future so we can ensure this vital site reaches its full potential.
Again, I appreciate the concerns that have been raised by the Deputy. The Minister, Deputy Darragh O'Brien, has given a commitment to meet with the LDA and interested parties to try to progress this. The Deputy will appreciate that it is not just a simple matter. These are heritage structures and require a conservation plan and a conservational approach to the restoration. It is not simply a matter of getting kitted or fitted out in some kind of temporary approach. It is important to take the right conservational approach to them. Second, the complexities I have outlined, namely, the families under temporary protection and applicants for international protection, are of huge importance. The Government is committed to working with the local authority to ensure this really important strategic site is developed for the benefit of the town of Mullingar and the wider community.
15. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to provide an update on the cost rental tenant in situ scheme and the Residential Tenancies (Right to Purchase) Bill. [15607/24]
As the Minister knows, there have been significant problems with the implementation of the cost rental tenant in situ scheme. There have been very small numbers of applications and even lower numbers of purchases. Of course, there is an ongoing delay with the processing and progress of the Residential Tenancies (Right to Purchase) Bill. Can the Minister give us an update on whether he intends to review and amend the cost rental tenant in situ scheme to fix the very obvious problems? Can he give us an update on what is happening with the right-to-purchase legislation?
I thank the Deputy. We developed the cost rental tenant in situ scheme for tenants in private rental homes who are at risk of homelessness because the landlord intends to sell. This was an add-on to the tenant in situ scheme which I mentioned earlier. There were more than 1,800 purchases last year and we will continue that scheme into this year. We will continue the cost rental tenant in situ scheme into this year. I did not see it as being the main deliverer for many people there, but we are also using the first-home scheme for renters who want to buy the home that they are in. That is working well too.
The cost rental tenant in situ scheme is being operated on an administrative basis at the moment. We will have to legislate for it. We are currently completing the relevant policy work to ensure the transition to the standard cost rental model via the approved housing bodies, AHBs, has the required legal and financial framework in place. I intend to bring forward the necessary amendments to the Affordable Housing Act 2021 in due course to enable that transition. That will not stop any applications to the cost rental tenant in situ scheme. We will continue that on an administrative basis, but it will require amendments to the Affordable Housing Act, which I will bring forward.
The general scheme of the residential tenancies (right to purchase) Bill was approved by the Government on 24 October 2023 to provide the tenant with the right of first refusal where a landlord intends to sell a rented dwelling. The Joint Committee on Housing, Local Government and Heritage, as the Deputy knows, completed pre-legislative scrutiny of the general scheme of the Bill in December 2023 and published its report on 19 December. Legal drafting is continuing and I expect to publish the Bill in this quarter.
The number of applications has been tiny and the number of purchases has been in the tens. Not a single one of the tenants affected has been transferred onto an affordable rent. The application process is too cumbersome and people do not know about the scheme. It is another of the Minister's failures. He is now telling us that none of that can change until there is change to the legislation. This scheme opened a year ago and the Minister had not even spoken to the approved housing bodies at the time it opened. It would be much more honest of him to come in and say he announced a scheme that did not exist and which has been beset by problems. Renters at risk of eviction, who could and should be availing of this scheme, have not been able to do so because of the Minister's failures. He should at least have the decently to accept the scheme is a mess and needs serious repair. I have made many suggestions to the Minister at committee as to how to fix the scheme he got so badly wrong in the first place.
I completely and utterly reject what the Deputy has just said. It is a measure and an option that is available. Every tenant in the country has been written to through the Residential Tenancies Board, RTB, with the options available. The scheme operates on an administrative basis and nothing will stop with regard to applications. I have already said to the Deputy that it must be underpinned by legislation but that will not stop applications or the operation of the scheme. The cost rental tenant in situ scheme is an option for people who are above the threshold for the social housing waiting list. The tenant in situ scheme is working very well and there were more than 18,010 purchases last year alone. Both schemes will continue into this year.
The Deputy opposes the first-home scheme although most of his colleagues support it and keep asking me parliamentary questions about how we can expand it further for first-time buyers and others. We will continue to work that through this year. The Deputy might explain to his colleagues his opposition to the help-to-buy grant of €30,000 and to the first-home scheme. He might also explain why he is against the vacant homes grant of €70,000.
That is not true, as the Minister knows.
The Deputy can have a chat with his colleagues who are sitting behind him.
The Minister is evading questions as usual. Off you go.
