Written Answers Nos. 348-363
348. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the amount each local authority has recouped from his Department for capital funded social housing units, including new builds and acquisitions in 2015 and in 2016. [22349/16]
View answer384. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the funding announced for capital funding housing units that has been recouped by each local authority in 2015 and 2016 to date; the number of units this funding has provided; and to provide a breakdown by each local authority area, [22797/16]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 348 and 384 together.
The table sets out the Exchequer funding provided by my Department to local authorities in respect of the main capital programmes to support local authority new builds and acquisitions of new and previously owned housing and apartments in 2015 and to end-June 2016. This includes direct purchases, purchases under Part V arrangements and the delivery of turnkey projects by local authorities.
In relation to 2016, while not all local authorities have drawn down Exchequer funding from my Department up to this point under these particular programmes, all are pursuing the acquisition of new and previously owned housing and apartments and have construction projects being advanced. Some local authorities also fund the building and acquisition of social housing from their own resources such as local property tax receipts, in lieu of direct Exchequer funding. The latter spending is not reflected in the table below and explains certain cases where local authorities have not drawn down Exchequer funding in 2015 or to date in 2016.
|
Local Authority |
2015 |
2016 to date |
|
Carlow County Council |
€1,705,075 |
€0 |
|
Cavan County Council |
€1,284,031 |
€303,137 |
|
Clare County Council |
€2,189,831 |
€0 |
|
Cork County Council |
€1,986,691 |
€0 |
|
Cork City Council |
€19,154,684 |
€0 |
|
Dun Laoghaire Rathdown County Council |
€1,135,931 |
€0 |
|
Donegal County Council |
€1,944,766 |
€537,426 |
|
Dublin City Council |
€21,268,596.75 |
€1,325,196 |
|
Fingal County Council |
€19,398,978 |
€0 |
|
Galway County Council |
€570,198 |
€915,091 |
|
Galway City Council |
€792,146 |
€0 |
|
Kerry County Council |
€4,302,383 |
€24,175 |
|
Kildare County Council |
€11,736,230 |
€6,654,968 |
|
Kilkenny County Council |
€4,730,469.81 |
€486,213 |
|
Laois County Council |
€3,599,043 |
€188,149 |
|
Leitrim County Council |
€218,890 |
€76,125 |
|
Limerick City & County Council |
€ 0 |
€0 |
|
Longford County Council |
€97,942 |
€0 |
|
Louth County Council |
€4,231,515 |
€1,513,873 |
|
Mayo County Council |
€1,021,586 |
€719,652 |
|
Meath County Council |
€4,647,444 |
€1,230,048 |
|
Monaghan County Council |
€2,174,362 |
€0 |
|
Offaly County Council |
€1,930,694 |
€23,994 |
|
Roscommon County Council |
€614,182 |
€0 |
|
Sligo County Council |
€2,597,696 |
€0 |
|
South Dublin County Council |
€ 0 |
€1,257,417 |
|
Tipperary County Council |
€6,012,355 |
€866,164 |
|
Waterford City & County Council |
€1,027,543.54 |
€295,000 |
|
Westmeath County Council |
€1,031,493 |
€0 |
|
Wexford County Council |
€3,933,697.50 |
€0 |
|
Wicklow County Council |
€2,038,393.19 |
€0 |
Details on the number of social housing units acquired and constructed in respect of all local authorities and approved housing bodies is published on my Department’s website at the following link: http://www.environ.ie/housing/social-housing/social-and-affordble/overall-social-housing-provision.
Data in respect of quarter 1 of 2016 are currently being collated and will be published shortly; however, preliminary outputs show that between local authorities and approved housing bodies, over 200 units were completed through the construction and acquisition of units under my Department’s capital-funded programmes.
My Department also funds a number of regeneration projects around the country and these also give rise to new delivery of social housing, as part of programmes that improve conditions in the targeted social housing estates and support broader social and economic developments in the areas. Additionally, my Department’s capital programmes support local authorities in their work to return vacant social houses to productive use. In 2015, some 2,700 units were made available to those on the waiting list with funding support of €33m. In 2016, an amount of €24m has been made available to date to local authorities under this programme, with an initial target of 1,500 units to be addressed. Funding under both capital and current programmes is also provided to support the provision of new social housing by approved housing bodies.
349. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the estimated cost of abolishing the motor tax charge of €120 on electric cars; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22372/16]
View answer1,393 electric cars were either taxed or declared off the road as of 30 June 2016. Based on the annual motor tax rate of €120, the current cost of abolishing motor tax for electric vehicles is just over €167,000.
In order to incentivise the use of electric cars, the annual rate for electric cars taxed on the basis of engine capacity was reduced from €157 to €120 in Budget 2013. A new zero emissions band at the same rate was created for electric cars that are taxed on the basis of carbon dioxide emissions. Prior to that, these cars had been taxed into the lowest carbon emissions band (0-120g/km) at an annual rate of €160.
350. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the number of guidelines issued by his office and that of his predecessor under section 28 1(b) of the Planning and Development Act as amended in 2015; and the subject matter of each set of guidelines issued under this section. [22378/16]
View answerAmendments to the Planning and Development Acts in 2015 enable statutory guidelines to expressly state “Specific Planning Policy Requirements” to be applied by planning authorities, or An Bord Pleanála as appropriate, in the exercise of their planning functions and where any conflict arises between such guidelines and local authority development plans, the requirements of the guidelines take precedence.
This mechanism is provided for under Section 28(1C), not Section 28 1(b), of the Planning and Development Act 2000, as amended by the Planning and Development (Amendment) Act 2015.
In this regard, the Sustainable Urban Housing: Design Standards for New Apartments - Guidelines for Planning Authorities, published in December 2015, are the only guidelines issued by my Department under Section 28 of the Act, as amended.
The 2015 Guidelines updated previous 2007 Guidelines, which, in practice, had little if any real effect in terms of actual development, due to the post-2008 economic downturn and after which, despite challenging economic conditions, a number of local authorities set differing and higher minimum floor area standards. Whilst not all aspects of the 2015 Apartment Guidelines are mandatory, they identify a number of specific planning policy requirements that must be applied by local authorities. These include minimum apartment unit floor areas.
351. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he is considering a new affordable housing scheme as part of any imminent housing strategy; if he is aware that housing options are limited for many working persons who, burdened with high rents and childcare costs, cannot secure mortgages while they are also above the financial thresholds for social housing lists; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22383/16]
View answerToday, the Government published its Rebuilding Ireland Action Plan for Housing and Homelessness, which sets out a practical and readily implementable set of actions that aim to increase annual housing supply to 25,000 units per annum by 2020, thereby creating a functioning and sustainable housing system. The plan is available at the website www.rebuildingireland.ie.
The plan is divided into five pillars, with each targeting a specific area of the housing system for attention. Pillar 3, entitled Build More Homes, has a key objective of increasing the output of private housing to meet demand at affordable prices. The range of actions are summarised in Appendix 1 of the Plan, and they include a new Local Infrastructure Housing Activation Fund (LIHAF) with €200m in funding for infrastructure to facilitate housing provision at more affordable prices.
Pillar 4 of the Plan, entitled Improve the Rental Sector, has the overarching objective of addressing the obstacles to greater private rental sector delivery at more affordable rents. A key action under this pillar will be the introduction of a new model of affordable rental to provide more housing options for low income households. €10m has already been committed by Government for a pilot programme in 2016, and this is to be an on-going annual commitment. The details of the Scheme are currently being finalised in my Department for roll-out in the coming months.
352. Deputy Pat Deering asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the status of the proposed merger regarding published proposals to amalgamate the library services of Carlow and Kilkenny, proposals which have been promoted and supported by the Local Government Management Agency; the local libraries which were visited during the proposal process with a view to receiving local based input and feedback on the proposals; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22384/16]
View answerMy Department is in discussions with the Local Government Management Agency and local authority Chief Executives regarding the introduction of a new library management model, as outlined in Managing the Delivery of Effective Library Services. The areas being considered for the new approach include Carlow and Kilkenny among others.
The proposed operating model seeks to put planning and implementation arrangements in place that will deliver more effective and efficient public libraries, thus securing an enhanced quality and range of services and ensuring the long-term sustainability of the library service in the local authority areas concerned. The library services of the respective local authorities will not be merged. The provision of library services will remain a core function of each library authority. The role of each authority and their respective elected members will be safeguarded and local authorities will still be responsible for the policies, priorities and budgets for their library services. Most importantly, there will be no closure of libraries nor a reduction in the library services available in those areas as a result of the proposed model.
As the proposed model focuses on strengthening the senior management structure and increasing strategic capacity across the smaller library authorities, local library branches were not visited as part of the development process. There was extensive consultation, however, with the local authorities concerned. Indeed, local authorities were involved in developing the new model, with working groups established for this purpose comprising, among others, City and County Librarians, local authority Directors of Service and Chief Executives.
353. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government to outline the report of the fire authority on health and safety at Traveller accommodation sites; if all local authorities completed and returned their reports on same; the conclusions drawn from these reports and any impact on the Traveller accommodation budget; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22385/16]
View answerA Report on the Programme to Review and Enhance Fire Safety in local authority provided Traveller Accommodation is in the final stages of preparation by my Department’s Directorate for Fire and Emergency Management.
The programme was initiated in the aftermath of the fire tragedy in Carrickmines, Dublin on 10 October, 2015. All local authorities completed and returned their individual reports, which will be collated in the National Report.
From the outset of the project, a collaborative approach, which incorporated the concerns, views, advice and knowledge of Travellers and Traveller Organisations was adopted, working together in a National Steering Group with fire safety professionals in the local authority fire service and staff in local authority housing departments.
The report will provide relevant background information and describe the methodology adopted for the task of auditing local authority provided Traveller accommodation against appropriate fire safety benchmarks which were set out in the Guide to Fire Safety in Existing Traveller Accommodation. This review process has focussed on the fire safety measures which are perceived to be the most effective in protecting life safety among the Traveller community. Three specific issues were identified from an early stage:
- The absence of smoke alarms which would alert sleeping families to the dangers of fire at an early stage and enable them to evacuate quickly;
- The danger posed in multi-unit accommodation by the layout of units where a fire in one could prevent people from another unit escaping to safety;
- The dangers of fire (and electrocution) posed by inappropriate extension of electrical connections between units.
The report will describe the extent to which the process has seen improvement works carried out to address the above key issues and a range of other fire safety factors. In addition to the physical works, the report will describe a parallel programme of “community fire safety” which has been undertaken incorporating training for key workers and engagement with community groups on fire safety awareness. Fire services have also carried out “Pre-Incident Planning” visits to ensure familiarity with the location of Traveller accommodation and to deal with access and water supply issues in case of response to future fire incidents.
It is expected that, when the National Steering Group has reviewed the draft report, it will include a number of conclusions and recommendations to clarify recommended approaches and to ensure the issue of fire safety in Traveller accommodation is embedded into future work programmes.
354. Deputy Shane Cassells asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the amounts allocated to each local authority in 2014 from the local government fund in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22394/16]
View answerI assume that the Question refers to general purpose grants (GPG) from the Local Government Fund. GPGs were my Department’s contribution towards meeting the cost to local authorities of providing a reasonable level of services to their customers. GPGs were replaced by Local Property Tax allocations in 2015. The tables below detail the general purpose grant allocations from the Local Government Fund to all local authorities in 2014 (the allocations to County Councils are “county at large” allocations in respect of the County Council and any Town Councils within the county).
|
Local Authority Name |
General Purpose Grant Allocations 2014 € |
|
Carlow County Council |
5,352,469 |
|
Cavan County Council |
8,458,415 |
|
Clare County Council |
2,646,284 |
|
Cork County Council |
2,951,435 |
|
Donegal County Council |
22,720,760 |
|
Dun Laoghaire Rathdown County Council |
5,724,579 |
|
Fingal County Council |
454,714 |
|
Galway County Council |
12,506,381 |
|
Kerry County Council |
11,043,837 |
|
Kildare County Council |
9,686,924 |
|
Kilkenny County Council |
9,356,019 |
|
Laois County Council |
7,631,324 |
|
Leitrim County Council |
8,282,319 |
|
Limerick County Council |
6,175,333 |
|
Longford County Council |
8,119,493 |
|
Louth County Council |
8,243,835 |
|
Mayo County Council |
17,492,594 |
|
Meath County Council |
8,799,199 |
|
Monaghan County Council |
10,247,882 |
|
North Tipperary County Council |
9,832,046 |
|
Offaly County Council |
6,663,642 |
|
Roscommon County Council |
9,107,439 |
|
Sligo County Council |
9 ,993,352 |
|
South Dublin County Council |
923,906 |
|
South Tipperary County Council |
12,923,064 |
|
Waterford County Council |
12,125,219 |
|
Westmeath County Council |
10,115,479 |
|
Wexford County Council |
11,888,576 |
|
Wicklow County Council |
6,846,310 |
|
Cork City Council |
8,544,374 |
|
Dublin City Council |
2,667,330 |
|
Galway City Council |
1,626,429 |
|
Limerick City Council |
8,449,826 |
|
Waterford City Council |
4,399,212 |
355. Deputy Willie Penrose asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if local authorities such as Westmeath County Council will be provided with an allocation of funds to enable them to purchase a house for a family with special needs or which has specific health circumstances; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22397/16]
View answerMy Department provides funding support to local authorities to acquire suitable new and second-hand housing for social housing use. The selection of housing for acquisition, and the tenant to whom it is allocated, are matters for local authorities as the housing authorities for their areas, with the clear expectation that such acquisitions meet priority housing need. Otherwise, the guidance from my Department to local authorities regarding acquisitions for social housing purposes is that they satisfy themselves regarding suitability, quality, value for money and desirable tenure mix.
356. Deputy Willie Penrose asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if there is a regulation or directive from his Department which prevents a local authority from purchasing a home for a family in a rural area; if so, when same came into operation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22424/16]
View answerMy Department provides funding support to local authorities to acquire suitable new and second-hand housing for social housing use. The selection of such housing for acquisition is a matter for local authorities as the housing authorities for their areas, with the clear expectation that such acquisitions meet priority housing need, are suitable, good quality, value for money and sustain balanced tenure mix. There is no direction otherwise from my Department which prevents local authorities from purchasing in particular areas.
357. Deputy Eamon Ryan asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he has issued guidelines or regulations as to the functioning of section 21 of the Local Government Reform Act 2014, which deals with the functions of municipal district members. [22438/16]
View answerThe Local Government (Performance of Reserved Functions in Respect of Municipal District Members) Regulations 2014 and Ministerial Guidelines under section 131A of the Local Government Act 2001 (as inserted by section 21 of the Local Government Reform Act 2014), relating to the reserved functions of municipal district members, were issued to local authorities with circular LG 10/2014 of 29 May 2014. Further guidance on the matter was issued to local authorities in circular LG 20/2014 of 9 July 2014.
358. Deputy Aindrias Moynihan asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the reason the water services at an estate (details supplied) in Cork have not been approved under the national taking in charge initiative, NTICI, measure 2; the criteria which were used for the approvals; the options now available to the residents; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22439/16]
View answer€10m has been made available in 2016 to fund a new National Taking in Charge Initiative (NTICI) that will assist local authorities in developing new approaches to addressing housing estates, including those with developer-provided water services infrastructure that, for various reasons, have not been taken in charge to date.
The initiative has been guided by the results of a survey of housing developments not taken in charge that was carried out by my Department in December 2015. This survey showed that, at that point in time, there were 5,655 completed housing developments nationally which were not taken in charge by local authorities. The NTICI funding is being provided to accelerate current applications within the taking-in-charge process submitted to the relevant local authority, relating to around 1,500 applications.
Local authorities were invited to submit proposals under the NTICI in respect of three measures, namely:
- Measure 1: Housing Estates not containing Developer Provided Water Services.
- Measure 2: Housing Estates served by Developer Provided Infrastructure.
- Measure 3: Technical Assistance Funding.
Under Measure 2, local authorities were invited to submit proposals, based on an indicative allocation of €3.5m proposed to be made available to seven local authorities (Cork County, Clare, Donegal, Galway County, Kerry, Tipperary and Wexford County Councils) for demonstration projects relating to housing estates served by Developer Provided Infrastructure (DPI), based on an earlier pilot study, although consideration may also be given to other counties within the indicative funding available. While the estate in question is included in the survey of completed housing developments nationally not taken in charge by local authorities, it was not included among proposals seeking funding under the NTICI by Cork County Council.
Consideration of the submissions put forward by the local authorities is on the basis of the provisional funding levels available and weighted towards those local authorities that demonstrate a high level of collaborative problem-solving and leveraging of complementary funding from developer, bond provider, receiver or other sources. Proposals under the NTICI from the local authorities were evaluated by a Steering Group, composed of representatives from my Department, Irish Water and the EPA, who considered the eligibility and selection criteria under the foregoing three measures.
On 8 July 2015, I announced the allocation of €9 million to assist local authorities in taking in charge 356 developments (accounting for over 17,000 households). In addition to the €9m allocation, almost €4.5m of funding will be sourced by local authorities through bonds and other sources.
The experience gained through the initiative in 2016 and associated demonstration projects is intended to establish a co-ordinated taking-in-charge programme to progressively address the issue on a multi-annual basis, in the light of available local authority, Irish Water, bond and other funding sources and the general Government financial position.
359. Deputy Tony McLoughlin asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will delay the awarding of the new national tender for book stock in September 2016 until such time as the public procurement social value Bill is introduced (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22440/16]
View answerThe provision of public library services is a matter for each local authority in its capacity as a library authority under the Local Government Act 2001. This includes the procurement of books and other library related services. My Department has no direct role in these matters. Local authorities must adhere, however, to national and EU requirements when undertaking procurement processes for the delivery of goods and services to public libraries. These requirements do not preclude Irish companies from tendering for such contracts.
I understand that the Local Government Management Agency (LGMA) and the Educational Procurement Service are working together on a library category procurement for local authorities under the new Office of Government Procurement centralised model. As current contracts with library authorities will start to expire from Spring 2017, the LGMA intends to commence the procurement process in the Autumn to ensure that new contracts are in place by early 2017. For this reason, it would not be practical to delay the procurement process pending the introduction of the Public Procurement Social Value Bill referred to in the Question. The LGMA is establishing a working group to oversee the procurement process, however, and this group will consider options for the addition of a social clause as part of the tender preparations.
360. Deputy Willie Penrose asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the terms upon which a recent case (details supplied) was compromised; if, in the context, it is now accepted that local authority members should be allowed to exercise their statutory powers and duties to put in place appropriate set back distances for wind turbine developments in the local authority areas for which they have jurisdiction, for their local area plans and-or county development plans, without unlawful interference with their said powers to do so by way of illegal directions from his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22447/16]
View answer388. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government when an inspector will be appointed to examine the issue of setback from dwellings of proposed new wind energy projects; when it is hoped to report the terms of reference of the examination; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22863/16]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 360 and 388 together.
As provided for by the Oireachtas under Section 31 of the Planning and Development Act 2000, as amended, the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government can direct a planning authority on their development plan up to four weeks after the plan has been adopted, where the provisional opinion has been formed, firstly, that the Planning Authority has ignored or not taken account of a submission made on the Minister’s behalf in respect of the development plan and secondly, that the plan as adopted is not in compliance with the requirements of the 2000 Act.
The provisions of Section 31 are an important safeguard to ensure translation of Government policy as regards proper planning and sustainable development into the decisions at a policy level of local authorities on the ground and, if such a power did not exist, there would no doubt be questions on the floor of this House as to how greater consistency could be achieved in planning policies across the 31 planning authorities across the country.
With regard to the Judicial Review proceedings referred to, in relation to the Direction of 3 October 2014 issued to Donegal County Council under Section 31 of the Planning and Development Act (as amended), these proceedings were settled in advance of the hearing commencing.
In brief, the settlement:
- Leaves the draft Direction of July 2014 standing (and the variation in abeyance); and
- Remits the case back to the point where I will appoint an independent inspector, after which I will consider the matter further.
I have committed to making this appointment before 31 July 2016. Following receipt of the Inspector's Report, I have six weeks to consider whether to issue the direction or issue an amended Direction. There was no admittance of any error on my behalf in setting out the statement of reasons.
In addition, it should be noted that the provisions of section 31(6) of the Planning and Development Act 2000, as amended, shall continue to apply to Variation No. 2 of the Donegal County Development Plan 2012-2018 and the Variation shall remain ineffective, pending the conclusion of the statutory process under section 31 of the Act.
I am now in the process of identifying and appointing an Inspector to carry out this work in line with the provisions and procedures set down in section 31 of the Act and details of that appointment, together with terms of reference, will issue shortly. It would be inappropriate of me to comment further until that process takes its course.
361. Deputy Kevin O'Keeffe asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will consider prohibiting local authorities from purchasing further housing units in housing developments which have already provided the units under Part V of the Planning and Development Act 2000. [22449/16]
View answerMy Department provides funding support to local authorities to acquire suitable new and second-hand housing for social housing use. The selection of such housing is a matter for local authorities as the housing authorities for their areas. The guidance from my Department to local authorities in this regard is that such acquisitions meet priority housing need and that the authorities satisfy themselves regarding suitability, quality, value for money and desirable tenure mix as outlined in the document Quality Housing for Sustainable Communities, which can be accessed on my Department’s website at: http://www.environ.ie/en/Publications/DevelopmentandHousing/Housing/FileDownLoad,1979,en.pdf.
The tenure composition of developments and estates will change over time and local authorities, when making decisions to acquire further housing, will have regard to the social housing already present in a development, including those acquired via Part V arrangements. In the circumstances, it is appropriate that local authorities judge whether or not acquisitions for social housing purposes are appropriate, based on the individual circumstances that apply in each case.
362. Deputy Declan Breathnach asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government to provide details of the 520 voluntary housing bodies here; the number of persons employed by these organisations; the number of housing units provided and managed by these organisations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22499/16]
View answerSection 6(6) of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1992 makes provision to grant approved housing body (AHB) status to housing associations. AHBs consist mainly of voluntary or co-operative housing organisations limited by guarantee and registered under the Companies Acts; societies registered under the Industrial & Provident Societies Acts; and/or Trusts incorporated under the Charities Acts. To date, there are 542 bodies with approved status. The register of AHBs can be found on my Department’s website at: http://www.environ.ie/housing/social-housing/voluntary-and-cooperative-housing/register-housing-bodies-approved-status.
In July 2015, the Regulation Office (which was set up by my Department to oversee implementation of the Voluntary Regulation Code for Approved Housing Bodies) published its first annual report, One Year On - The Regulation of Approved Housing Bodies in Ireland. This report provides a sectoral analysis of AHBs including the number of persons employed and the number of housing units provided and managed by these organisations. This report, together with details of the 225 AHBs that have signed up to the Voluntary Regulation Code, is available at http://www.housing.ie/Regulation.aspx.
363. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if funding is being provided by any scheme by his Department or agencies under the aegis of his Department to assist developers buy land to enable them to build houses in view of the housing crisis; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22567/16]
View answerI agree that current housing supply problems require a closer alignment between land availability and development capability. The Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, however, generally prohibits State Aid, unless it is justified by reasons of general economic development. No funding scheme to assist developers to buy land is either in place or under consideration in my Department.
Nonetheless, as outlined in the Programme for a Partnership Government, the Government is today publishing an Action Plan for Housing which will set out a practical and readily implementable set of actions that will increase annual housing supply to 25,000 units by 2020, and more thereafter, thereby creating a functioning and sustainable housing system. This Action Plan, in tandem with the work already underway on the development of the new 20-year National Planning Framework, will include specific actions designed to address the critical issue of land supply and to ensure an active and healthy market for development land.
In this context, it is envisaged that opportunities for private and social housing development on publicly owned land banks will be advanced under a variety of arrangements.
