Housing Policy

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 15 November 2016

Tuesday, 15 November 2016

Questions (293)

John Curran

Question:

293. Deputy John Curran asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government the publication of his Action Plan for Housing and Homelessness four months ago; the status of the progress made to date on action 1.1 to provide new units under the rapid build housing programme; the number of units that will be provided and ready for use in 2016 and in Q1 and Q2 of 2017; if any vacant units will be acquired in 2016 and the number that will be acquired in Q1 and Q2 2017; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35030/16]

Written answers

Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government

My Department is working closely with the four Dublin local authorities in relation to the Rapid Delivery Programme. As such, 22 rapid build units have already been delivered and are occupied. Dublin City Council is currently advancing a number of rapid build projects, including on four sites at Finglas, Darndale, Cherry Orchard and Drimnagh, which will deliver a further 131 units. These units will be handed over to Dublin City Council on a phased basis from the end of the year and delivery will be completed early in 2017. My Department is working closely with the Council to expedite delivery. The assignment of households to these units, once delivered, will be a matter for the City Council.

Further work is underway across the four local authorities, which will bring to 350 the total number of rapid delivery homes advancing through various stages of delivery, including construction, by the end of the year, on additional sites in Dublin city and on sites in Dun Laoghaire, Tallaght, Blanchardstown and Balbriggan. Construction dates will be finalised in the context of completion of procurement and award of contracts.

Rapid delivery needs to be viewed in the context of the wider range of solutions to address the unacceptable level of families in emergency accommodation, including 1, 600 vacant units to be sourced by the Housing Agency and an expanded Housing Assistance Payment ( HAP ) Homeless pilot scheme – 550 tenancies in 2016 and 1,200 in 2017 - across the greater Dublin region. More than 1,350 exits from homelessness were achieved nationally in the first half of this year and, in Dublin , a further 411 exits have been achieved in the third quarter. This compares to 2,322 sustainable exits from homelessness in 2015.

Work has commenced with local authorities from outside of Dublin in terms of advancing rapid build projects in their areas. Following the putting in place of the Office of Government Procurement (OGP) Framework, a workshop will take place in January 2017 to support all local authorities advance rapid build projects.