Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 19 April 2023
75. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of affordable housing units delivered in County Donegal for the years 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021 and 2022 and to date in 2023, in tabular form. [18525/23]
View answer76. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of affordable rental units delivered in County Donegal for the years, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022 and to date in 2023, in tabular form. [18526/23]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 75 and 76 together.
The Affordable Housing Fund is available to assist all local authorities in bringing forward affordable housing schemes. Under the Affordable Housing Act of 2021, the Affordable Housing Fund opened for funding applications from all Local Authorities from September 2021.
Following the publication of Housing for All in September 2021, I asked all local authorities to prepare Housing Delivery Action Plans. Each local authority was asked to assess the level of housing demand with affordability constraint projected for their area based on the Housing Need and Demand Assessment Tool and plan their provision accordingly. A copy of Donegal County Council’s Housing Delivery Action Plan is available at the following link: www.donegalcoco.ie/services/housing/publications/donegalshousingdeliveryactionplan20222026/.
Local authorities with the highest levels of affordable housing need were asked to prepare Affordable Delivery Plans as part of their overall Plans and were set five-year Affordable Delivery Targets. Donegal does not have a specific target as average house price levels in the county are still well below the national median, but there may be some localised affordability issues in certain areas which the local authority is examining.
Where there are localised challenges, funding can be made available to develop a scheme in line with Affordable Housing Fund criteria. While, to date, my Department has not received any application for funding under the Affordable Housing Fund (AHF) from Donegal, my Department is available to meet with and discuss plans with any local authority who intends to deliver affordable housing.
Circular 06/2023 'Guidance for local authorities making an application for funding under the Affordable Housing Fund (AHF) Scheme in the absence of a clearly assessed substantial housing need with affordability constraint' was circulated to all Local Authorities including Donegal on the 21 February 2023. Assistance with developing schemes is available from my Department, The Housing Agency and the Housing Delivery Co-ordination Office within the Local Government Management Association.
As part of Housing for All, the Government has implemented a new, more affordable, and more secure form of long-term rental housing in Ireland, through the introduction of Cost Rental, in 2021. Cost Rental schemes will be focused initially in densely populated urban areas where rental affordability pressures are particularly acute and where State resources can have the biggest impact. It is important that the State targets its affordability measures towards the parts of the country that are experiencing the most extreme affordability challenges.
In addition, the First Home Scheme, which was launched in July 2022, supports first-time buyers in purchasing new houses and apartments in the private market through the use of an equity share model. The Scheme aims to support in the region of 8,000 households in acquiring new homes in the private market in the years 2022 to 2026 with an overall budget of €400 million. Full information on the scheme is available on the First Home Scheme dedicated website, www.firsthomescheme.ie. Statistical data on delivery across all affordable housing streams during 2022 as published on my Department's website earlier this week shows that activity has begun to take place under this scheme for Donegal and is available at the following link: www.gov.ie/en/collection/6060e-overall-social-housing-provision/#affordable-housing-delivery.
Finally, the new Croí Cónaithe Towns Fund is also available in Donegal and it provides for grants for refurbishment of vacant properties of up to €30,000 or €50,000 if the property is derelict. I also announced last year, a new Ready to Build serviced sites scheme under the Fund where local authorities will provide sites at a discount to people who want to build their own home. Information on both of these scheme is available directly from Donegal County Council.
