Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 10 November 2021
104. Deputy Neale Richmond asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage when it is anticipated that the figures under the affordable housing scheme for each county will be finalised; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55024/21]
View answerThe Housing for All Strategy delivers on the Programme for Government commitment to put affordability at the heart of the housing system. Over €4 billion in funding is provided annually, representing the highest ever level of Government investment in building social and affordable housing.
A multi-faceted approach is being implemented to deliver 54,000 affordable homes interventions between now and 2030. This will be facilitated by local authorities, Approved Housing Bodies, the Land Development Agency (LDA), as well as through a strategic partnership between the State and retail banks.
Local authorities will be submitting their Housing Delivery Action Plans to me, to include social and affordable housing, before the end of December 2021. This will allow each Local Authority to determine any affordability constraint in their area based on the Housing Need and Demand Assessment and plan the provision of affordable homes accordingly.
Delivery of affordable housing, in accordance with the Local Authority Affordable Purchase Scheme established in Part 2 of the Affordable Housing Act 2021, will be underpinned by the preparation by each local authorities Housing Delivery Action Plan.
Part 4 of the Affordable Housing Act provides for the ‘First Home’ scheme to primarily support affordability-constrained first-time buyers to purchase privately developed new homes. This scheme will commence in 2022 and will be available at a national level.
Part 3 of the Affordable Housing Act provides for the establishment of a Cost Rental sector in Ireland, through the designation by the Minister of Cost Rental dwellings. Budget 2021 allocated €35 million to the Cost Rental Equity Loan (CREL) scheme which enabled the first Cost Rental homes to be delivered this year by the Clúid AHB at Taylor Hill, Balbriggan. The tenanting processes for further Cost Rental homes at Enniskerry Road in Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown and Barnhall, Leixlip, County Kildare, are currently underway. In total, 390 Cost Rental units will be delivered through this funding, with the initial focus being in the Greater Dublin Area and Cork. A further €75 million was allocated in Budget 2022 to help meet the Housing for All target of 750 Cost Rental homes in 2022.
The LDA will deliver both homes for affordable purchase and Cost Rental. The Housing for All strategy allocated €1 billion to the Land Development Agency through Project Tosaigh to unlock stalled developments and accelerate the delivery of affordable homes.
In addition the Help to Buy Scheme and the Local Authority Home loan scheme remain available nationally and make housing more affordable to purchasers.
