Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 24 January 2019
296. Deputy Micheál Martin asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government his plans and the timeline for funding and delivering a refurbishment programme for flat complexes in Dublin city centre to tackle in particular dampness and to provide for insulation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3452/19]
View answerIt is very important that local authority housing stock is maintained to an appropriate standard. Under the Housing Acts, such management and maintenance, is, in the first instance, a matter for each individual local authority. In order to support local authorities in this work my Department provides exchequer funding for eligible capital improvements to local authority housing, including through the voids and energy efficiency programmes.
Furthermore, over the lifetime of Rebuilding Ireland, some €211 million is being made available under the National Regeneration Programme to support the direct delivery of over 1,000 new social housing homes. Together with providing a significant number of new homes, the projects seek to also address the causes of disadvantage in these communities through a holistic programme of physical, social and economic regeneration.
I understand that Dublin City Council is currently carrying out a stock condition audit which is expected to be completed later in Q1 2019. Arising from this audit, DCC plan to strategically determine and prioritise the optimum approach to the redevelopment or refurbishment of its apartment portfolio.
In order to ensure that progress is made as quickly as possible, notwithstanding the overall strategic approach being adopted by the City Council, in the meantime it has submitted detailed proposals on the following major schemes: Dorset Street; Constitution Hill; Dunne Street; Matt Talbot Court; Lissadel Road/Rafter’s Lane; Cromcastle Court; Infirmary Road; and Croke Villas/Sackville Avenue.
In addition, my Department provided Exchequer funding to the City Council towards the recently completed phase 1 of the regeneration of Dolphin House, delivering 100 high quality social housing homes, and contractors are on-site in St Theresa’s Gardens, Dominick Street and O'Devaney Gardens.
