Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 3 March 2022
194. Deputy Rose Conway-Walsh asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of new build social homes and new build affordable homes that were delivered in County Mayo in 2021; the targets for 2022; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11990/22]
View answerMy Department publishes comprehensive programme level statistics on social housing delivery for each local authority on a quarterly basis. The statistics are available to the end of Quarter 3 2021 and show that in the first nine months of 2021, 11 new build social homes were delivered in Mayo in 2021. A detailed Social Housing Construction Status Report (CSR) is published each quarter by my Department. The CSR shows that there were 11 schemes of 88 homes on site in Mayo at the end of Quarter 3 2021 with a further 15 schemes of 225 homes at various stages of design and procurement process. The 2022 social housing build target for Mayo County Council is 90 homes.
The Affordable Housing Act 2021, the first ever standalone affordable housing legislation, established a basis for four 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 on local authority lands, (2) the introduction of a new form of tenure in Cost Rental, (3) a First Home 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.
At a national level, 2,550 Affordable Purchase homes and 1,580 Cost Rental homes are targeted for delivery for 2022. Annual targets will increase incrementally in subsequent years. These homes will be delivered by the local authorities, Approved Housing Bodies and the Land Development Agency. Additional affordable housing delivery will be facilitated through the expanded 20% Part V requirement and the introduction of the First Home Scheme. The First Home shared equity scheme will be available nationally on a demand-led basis. This scheme will primarily support first-time buyers purchasing new homes through the private market. It is anticipated this scheme will be open for applications in the second half of this year. The national 2022 target delivery for the First Home Scheme is 1,750.
