Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 7 July 2022
200. Deputy Francis Noel Duffy asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage when the Croí Cónaithe towns and cities funding will be open for applications; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36821/22]
View answerHousing for All (published in September 2021) provides a new housing plan for Ireland to 2030 with the overall objective that every citizen in the State should have access to good quality homes through a steady supply of housing in the right locations, with economic, social and environmental sustainability built into the system. The strategy sets out, over four pathways, a broad suite of measures to achieve its policy objectives together with a financial commitment of in excess of €4 billion per annum.
The suite of measures under the pathway to addressing vacancy and efficient use of existing stock includes the Croí Cónaithe (Towns) Fund which will be delivered by local authorities for the provision of serviced sites for housing to attract people to build their own homes and to support the refurbishment of vacant properties, enabling people to live in small towns and villages in a sustainable way.
Details in relation to the operation of the Croí Cónaithe (Towns) Fund are at an advanced stage of development, including the scope and appropriate timeframes, and it will be launched shortly.
The Croí Cónaithe (Cities) Scheme supports the building of apartments for sale to owner-occupiers. The Scheme aims to bridge the current “Viability Gap” between the cost of building apartments and the market sale price (where the cost of building is greater). The scheme is targeted principally at activating planning permissions already in place for such homes.
The scheme launched on the 10th May with an Expressions of Interest process and will be managed and administered by the Housing Agency on behalf of my Department. The closing date for receipt of proposals was 21st June 2022.
The Housing Agency has now started the first of the three pre-contract stages:
1. Reviewing eligible proposals,
2. Ranking of suitable proposals,
3. A detailed due diligence process leading to eligibility.
I expect that the full assessment of proposals received will take a number of months and expect agreements to deliver apartments to be put in place in the Autumn.
