Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 10 November 2020
370. Deputy Aodhán Ó Ríordáin asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will put on the record of Dáil Éireann the report compiled by officials in his Department in relation to co-living as reported by a newspaper (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34866/20]
View answer374. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if the Departmental review into co-living has concluded; if a report has been presented to him; and when he plans to publish the outcome of the review. [35578/20]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 370 and 374 together.
Section 5.0 of Sustainable Urban Housing: Design Standards for New Apartments Guidelines for Planning Authorities, published by my Department in 2018, provide guidance and policy in respect of ‘Shared Accommodation Developments’, also known as ‘Co-living’.
I have been clear in my intention to review the provisions on Co-living set out in the Sustainable Urban Housing guidelines. It is also the case that the final paragraph (5.24) of the relevant section of the guidance commits my Department to monitor the emerging shared accommodation sector, with a view to issuing further technical updates of the Sustainable Urban Housing guidelines document, given the relatively new nature of this form of accommodation.
Accordingly, I have instructed officials in my Department to review Paragraphs 5.13 to 5.24 of the Sustainable Urban Housing document. This includes analysis of development proposals for co-living that have come forward since publication of the guidelines and in particular, how such proposals compare to apartment development standards generally. My officials have now prepared a report which I am currently considering. I intend to publish the report once I have considered it.
