Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 15 July 2021
204. Deputy Cian O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the percentage of new affordable homes that will be built directly by housing authorities; the percentage that will be bought from the open market; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38769/21]
View answerTo date, Serviced Sites Funding of almost €200 million has been approved in principle in support of 40 infrastructure projects in 14 local authority areas across 9 counties, which will assist in the delivery of almost 4,200 affordable homes for purchase or for rent, all of which will be delivered on local authority land.
Details of 35 SSF projects which received approval in principle under the two SSF calls to date are available on the Department's website as follows.
Call 1 www.gov.ie/en/press-release/dbc55-minister-murphy-gives-the-go-ahead-for-ten-local-authority-sites-for-affordable-housing-under-the-serviced-sites-fund/ .
Call 2 www.gov.ie/en/press-release/eaf39-minister-murphy-approves-84m-in-funding-for-25-local-authority-sites-to-support-the-delivery-of-approximately-1770-affordable-homes-nationally-under-the-serviced-sites-fund-ssf/
In addition to these projects, approval in principle has also been given to five further applications for SSF funding, namely, Dublin City Council’s projects in Emmet Road and Oscar Traynor Road, Fingal County Council’s projects in Ballymastone, Donabate, and Hayestown, Rush and Dun Laoghaire Rathdown County Council’s project in Shanganagh.
The Affordable Housing Bill 2021, which has now cleared all stages in the Oireachtas, is the first ever standalone affordable housing legislation. The provisions of the Bill establish the basis for 4 new affordable housing measures. These measures will deliver on the Programme for Government commitment to put affordability at the heart of the housing system and prioritise the increased supply of affordable homes through (1) delivering affordable homes by local authorities, (2) the introduction of a new form of tenure in Cost Rental, (3) a new affordable purchase shared equity scheme and (4) expanding Part V planning requirements to increase the 10% contribution requirement to 20% and to apply it to cost rental as well as social and affordable housing.
Government will very shortly publish a new 5 year ‘Housing for All’ strategy which will include ambitious affordable home delivery targets for these schemes.
