The initial target under Rebuilding Ireland was to deliver 47,000 social homes. However, following my review of these plans and with the overall funding provision increased from €5.35 billion to €6 billion, I have increased the target to 50,000 social homes. I have also placed a greater emphasis on direct build activity by local authorities and approved housing bodies.
Within the revised 50,000 target, almost 33,500 will be delivered through build activity and some 6,500 delivered through acquisitions, with the remaining 10,000 delivered through long-term leasing initiatives, as set out in the following table.
|
Year
|
Build
|
Acquisition
|
Leasing
|
|
2016
|
2,260
|
1,755
|
225
|
|
2017
|
3,200
|
1,250
|
600
|
|
2018
|
4,969
|
900
|
2,000
|
|
2019
|
6,385
|
1,025
|
2,130
|
|
2020
|
7,716
|
800
|
2,631
|
|
2021
|
8,907
|
800
|
2,450
|
|
Totals
|
33,437
|
6,530
|
10,036
|
The following table shows the elements of the build activity of almost 33,500 social homes, including those that will be built directly by local authorities and AHBs, as well as properties constructed for social housing through Part V and refurbished properties/Voids, together with some 6,500 acquisitions, over the period 2016 to 2021.
|
Delivery
|
Build
|
Acquisition
|
|
Local Authority
|
16,328
|
1,480
|
|
AHB
|
8,960
|
5,050
|
|
Refurbished properties/Voids
|
3,459
|
-
|
|
Properties constructed for social housing through Part V
|
4,690
|
-
|
|
Total
|
33,437
|
6,530
|
Since the publication of Rebuilding Ireland, the Government’s attention has been firmly focused on delivery. Implementation of Rebuilding Ireland is being advanced across a number of Departments, under the oversight of the Cabinet Committee on Infrastructure, Housing and Climate Change, chaired by An Taoiseach. Within my own Department, implementation is led by the Secretary General and other senior officials on an ongoing basis, supported by Working Group structures put in place under each of the Action Plan's five Pillars. In addition, to ensure broader consultation and engagement with delivery agents and stakeholders on implementation progress and emerging issues, an Oversight Group and a Project Board are in operation.
Following my recent review of Rebuilding Ireland, I announced that Minister of State Damien English will lead a new delivery team in my Department working with local authorities and Approved Housing Bodies (AHBs) on social housing delivery. I am confident that this will further add to the impetus already in place for the delivery of much needed social housing homes, across the country, by local authorities and AHBs.
This governance is additional to the ongoing contact my Department has with local authorities and AHBs around all forms of housing delivery, including regular technical meetings to review progress in respect of social housing projects.
