Housing Provision

Thursday, 10 February 2022

Questions (282)

Eoin Ó Broin

Question:

282. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the total number of social housing projects currently in his Department’s four stage approval process; and the average length of time these projects have been in that process by local authority. [7247/22]

View answer

Written answers

Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage

The information requested is being compiled and will be forwarded to the Deputy in accordance with Standing Orders.

The following deferred reply was received under Standing Order 51

The four stage approval process is an element of a broader overall pre-construction process for local authority capital-funded, social housing build projects, under the Capital Works Management Framework. The overall pre-construction process involves local authorities undertaking a range of work including site investigations, needs assessment, planning under Part 8 including community and local elected members’ consultations, project design and procurement of design teams and contractors, etc.

The total number of such projects currently in the pre-construction process is 231. The average length of time per local authority is set out in the table below.

On average, the time taken for review and approval by my Department is under 25% of the overall pre-construction process. Specific challenges will also arise with individual projects that will impact on the average time for particular local authorities in the pre-construction process, such as challenges within the planning process, difficulties with sites, etc.

To further support local authorities with these work challenges, in December 2021 I announced funding for an additional 211 housing posts in local authorities nationally. Further, on 21st January 2022 I published a new Design Manual for Quality Housing and also a Review of Pre-Construction Processes undertaken in cooperation with the local authority and AHB sectors. These recent initiatives are important in the work to improve the quality, cost-effectiveness and pace of delivery of social homes and I look forward to continuing our work with our delivery partners to take advantage of these opportunities.

Local Authority	Average number of weeks in Pre-construction Process
Carlow	89
Cavan	34
Clare	85
Cork City	155
Cork County	114
DLR	118
Donegal	81
Dublin City	138
Fingal	106
Galway City	112
Galway County	88
Kerry	20
Kildare	146
Kilkenny	103
Laois	103
Leitrim	14
Limerick	96
Longford	70
Louth	97
Mayo	97
Meath	153
Monaghan	36
Offaly	118
Roscommon	40
Sligo	127
South Dublin	96
Tipperary	46
Waterford	145
Westmeath	114
Wexford	127
Wicklow	71