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Social and Affordable Housing Provision

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 3 July 2018

Tuesday, 3 July 2018

Questions (540)

Micheál Martin

Question:

540. Deputy Micheál Martin asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the status of the process for using State-owned lands for housing; when he expects building to commence particularly in Dublin; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28650/18]

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Written answers

The development of any residential land in housing authority ownership is in the first instance a matter for the local authority concerned, including its elected members. I want to see local authorities realise new social and affordable homes from their lands without delay, with particular emphasis on prioritising those sites with the greatest potential to deliver housing at scale, in the short to medium term.

To this end, details of some 1,700 hectares of land in local authority and Housing Agency ownership were published on the Rebuilding Ireland Housing Land Map. The map also includes details of some 300 hectares of land in the ownership of other State or semi-State bodies, with the potential to deliver a further 7,500 homes. Importantly, we have large sites in Dublin, Cork and other key urban areas where housing and homelessness pressures are greatest. All these sites can be viewed at the following link: http://rebuildingireland.ie/news/rebuilding-ireland-land-map/

Many local authorities have well-developed plans for many of their sites. Backed by €6 billion in Exchequer funding under Rebuilding Ireland, significant progress is being made in ramping up the social housing programme. The most recent details of the social housing construction programme are published on the Rebuilding Ireland website and can be accessed at the following link: http://rebuildingireland.ie/?s=Q4+construction+status+report.

In addition, local authorities in Dublin are bringing forward major sites for mixed-tenure development such as the 900 homes at Kilcarbery in Clondalkin, where procurement will be finalised in the Autumn, and O’Devaney Gardens, a site capable of delivering 600 homes in the City Council area where the procurement process is moving into competitive dialogue stage and should be finalised in early 2019. Proposals for other key sites across Dublin are also being developed.

With regard to the provision of affordable homes to buy or rent, early indications from the key local authorities identified lands for 4,000 affordable homes and we are working to increase this ambition to 10,000 homes in the longer term. In order to support local authorities to get their sites ready for affordable housing, I am providing increased funding of €75 million for enabling infrastructure, via the Serviced Sites Fund. I have recently invited applications under the Fund.

Furthermore, I have now commenced the relevant provisions of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2009, the effect of which is to place the new scheme for affordable purchase on a statutory footing.

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