Housing Schemes

Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 4 May 2022

Wednesday, 4 May 2022

Questions (185)

Cian O'Callaghan

Question:

185. Deputy Cian O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the total number of social housing projects currently in his Department’s approval process; the average length of time these projects have been in that process by local authority; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21851/22]

Written answers

Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage

My Department administers a number of funding schemes to support local authority delivery of social housing. Each scheme, depending on its objectives and delivery mechanism, has a process in place whereby local authorities secure approval for funding for social housing projects.

The overall pre-construction process for local authority capital-funded, social housing build projects 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 under the Capital Works Management Framework. The majority of local authority projects are assessed and approved by my Department via a 4-stage process and this assessment of projects by my Department within that process over the last 12 months averaged 24 weeks. 

Local authorities also have the option of using a single stage approval process for social housing projects up to €6 million in value and the pre-construction process in such cases can be reduced by approximately eight weeks. Local authorities also deliver social housing via turnkey contracts with developers and the approval process for such projects would ordinarily be from two to six weeks as the proposals ordinarily have planning approval, have an agreed design and have a contractor in place. 

Specific challenges can 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 support the capacity of local authorities to develop and deliver social housing build projects, I have approved funding for an additional 250 posts in local authority housing teams. Furthermore, in January 2022, I published a new Design Manual for Quality Housing and a Review of the Pre-Construction Processes undertaken in cooperation with the local authority and Approved Housing Body (AHB) sectors. These initiatives are important to improve the quality, cost-effectiveness and pace of delivery of social homes.

The table below outlines the social housing capital projects by local authority which are currently in the pre-construction process including assessment/approval by my Department.

Local Authority	Number of Projects
Carlow	2
Cavan	2
Clare	1
Cork City	6
Cork County	1
DLR	2
Donegal	0
Dublin City	5
Fingal	0
Galway City	2
Galway County	3
Kerry	1
Kildare	0
Kilkenny	4
Laois	1
Leitrim	2
Limerick	9
Longford	4
Louth	1
Mayo	0
Meath	3
Monaghan	0
Offaly	1
Roscommon	4
Sligo	0
South Dublin	1
Tipperary	2
Waterford	2
Westmeath	1
Wexford	1
Wicklow	3
Total	64

The Capital Advance Leasing Facility (CALF) funding is capital support provided to AHBs by local authorities to facilitate the funding of construction, acquisition or refurbishment of new social housing units.  This loan facility can support up to 30% of the eligible capital cost of the housing project, with the housing units provided to local authorities for social housing use under long-term lease arrangements known as Payment and Availability Agreements (P&A). The table below sets

out details of projects with my Department for approval. The average time for the approval of a CALF project is six weeks.

Local Authority	Number of Projects
Cavan	1
Cork City	2
Cork County	1
DLR	1
Dublin City	3
Fingal	1
Kerry	2
Kildare	1
Laois	1
Louth	1
Meath	2
South Dublin	3
Tipperary	1
Westmeath	1
Wicklow	1
Grand Total	22