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Social and Affordable Housing Provision

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 27 November 2018

Tuesday, 27 November 2018

Questions (628)

Jan O'Sullivan

Question:

628. Deputy Jan O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the progress made on the use of factory fabricated homes to address the need for housing to be delivered as quickly as possible and also the reported shortage of construction workers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49380/18]

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Written answers

Under Rebuilding Ireland, a total of 325 social homes have been completed to date using rapid delivery technologies. There are currently some 27 further rapid delivery schemes, due to yield up to 758 social homes, at various stages of advancement. Rapid delivery projects generally incorporate prefabricated building elements and as a result have shorter construction timeframes.

Updated details in relation to the programme of rapid build projects are included in each Social Housing Construction Projects Status Report, which are published on a quarterly basis on the Rebuilding Ireland website; the most recently available report sets out the position as at end Q2, and is available at the following link: http://rebuildingireland.ie/install/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/Final-Full-Construction-Status-report-Q2-2018.pdf.

In order to support local authorities and approved housing bodies, a framework of Design Build Contractors for the procurement of Rapid Delivery Social Housing was established on 6 January 2017, by the Office of Public Procurement. While the framework, or indeed off-site construction, may not be suitable for all developments or sites, my Department continues to encourage and support local authorities and Approved Housings Bodies (AHBs) to consider the rapid delivery mechanism in the interest of accelerated delivery. In this regard my Department organised information seminars for local authorities, as well as visits to rapid delivery projects under construction. Local authorities have been asked to consider, in particular, schemes which are suitable for early commencement, particularly in terms of their approved planning status. 

In addition, Dublin City Council (DCC) is developing a rapid delivery programme of apartment developments. This could yield in excess of 700 homes and my Department is working very closely with the Council to prioritise some of the larger apartment schemes, given the current demand. To facilitate the efficient delivery of these projects, DCC is in the process of establishing a framework of Design Build Contractors for rapid delivery apartment type buildings. The process commenced in August 2018, with a request for expressions of interest. It is intended that the framework will be in place shortly. My Department has supported DCC in establishing this framework and is liaising with other urban local authorities to bring forward proposals for such projects to use the framework as soon as it is in place.  

In regard to the reported shortage of construction workers, the capacity of the Irish economy to meet future expected activity in the construction sector has been examined by the Economic and Social Research Institute and details of its findings are available at the following link. https://www.esri.ie/publications/capacity-constraints-in-the-irish-economy-a-partial-equilibrium-approach/.

The recently published report indicates that much of the additional labour required for housing supply and other construction and infrastructural work may have to be secured through inward net migration. However, the report concludes the Irish economy would not appear, at present, to be unduly constrained in terms of the labour market.

Increasing housing supply generally, and social and more affordable housing in particular, is, and will remain, a top Government priority. Through the continued delivery on the ambitious programme set out in the Government's Rebuilding Ireland Action Plan on Housing and Homelessness, the State intends to fully meets its obligations to those who need a home.

Separately, my colleague, the Minister for Education and Skills, continues to implement a range of measures to ensure that there will be the required number of construction workers in place to support the delivery of the Rebuilding Ireland programme. These measures include:

- expanding the range of apprenticeships on offer to meet the identified skill needs of industry;

- SOLAS-funded construction related further education and training programmes provided by Education and Training Boards; and

- working with the Construction Industry Federation, as industry lead, to further develop the national apprenticeship programme. 

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