Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 12 June 2018
1299. Deputy Fiona O'Loughlin asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government when additional projects in County Kildare will be considered for LIHAF funding; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24729/18]
View answer1302. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government when applications will be invited from local authorities for the second tranche of LIHAF; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24826/18]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 1299 and 1302 together.
The Local Infrastructure Housing Activation Fund was designed to activate housing supply by putting in place the enabling public infrastructure necessary to ensure that large scale development could take place on key sites in urban areas of high housing demand. Final approval was given for 30 projects under LIHAF in 2017 and these projects will stimulate development of approximately 20,000 housing units across 14 local authorities.
Activation of housing development at scale is a priority under Pillar 3 of Rebuilding Ireland, but so too is the delivery of more affordable homes and I note the particular challenges in the cities of Dublin and Cork where people are facing the greatest affordability challenges.
Earlier this year, I announced a package of initiatives to help alleviate affordability pressures faced by households, particularly in those areas of high housing demand and high accommodation costs. The measures announced include the establishment of the Rebuilding Ireland Home Loan, the re-introduction of an affordable purchase scheme, and the introduction of cost rental projects. Further details on the suite of initiatives can be found at http://rebuildingireland.ie/news/min-murphys-statement-on-affordable-homes/.
Importantly, the new affordability measures are specifically targeted at delivering more affordable homes from the State's land bank. In this regard, and to aid local authorities further in delivering affordable housing from their sites, as part of Budget 2018, the Government announced the establishment of a new Serviced Sites Fund to unlock local authority-owned lands specifically to deliver affordable homes. The funding will support local authorities to provide enabling infrastructure on sites which they own, particularly in urban areas facing the greatest affordability challenge. I intend to issue a call for proposals under the Fund in the near future.
Within this cross-cutting policy context, I am also reviewing the plans for a second call under LIHAF, in light of the new measures referenced above, the importance of synergy with the Serviced Sites Fund, and the imminent calls for proposals under the new €2bn Urban Regeneration and Development Fund and the €1bn Rural Regeneration and Development Fund under Project Ireland 2040 and the 10-year National Development Plan. These funds are aimed at enabling residential and commercial development, supported by infrastructure, services and amenities, within the existing built-up areas of all of our urban settlements as well as transforming our rural towns and villages and their outlying areas, to ensure that they are viable and attractive places in which to live, work, invest and visit.
I expect to make a decision regarding a second call under LIHAF shortly.
