Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 20 April 2023
286. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of completed housing schemes, public and private, in the various towns and villages throughout County Kildare currently awaiting allocation, sale and affordable process; the reason there appears to be an inordinate delay in relation to such matters; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18874/23]
View answerHousing for All – A New Housing Plan for Ireland is Ireland’s housing plan to increase the supply of housing to an average of 33,000 per year to 2030. Over 300,000 new homes will be built by the end of 2030, including a projected 90,000 social homes, 36,000 affordable purchase homes and 18,000 cost rental homes. The Plan is backed by investment with in excess of €20bn through the Exchequer, the Land Development Agency and the Housing Finance Agency to 2026.
Data in relation to housing commencements, broken down by local authority area, including Kildare County Council, is published by my Department on a monthly basis and can be accessed via the following link:
www.gov.ie/en/publication/a5cb1-construction-activity-starts/
Data in relation to new dwelling completions, broken down by Local Electoral Area is published by the CSO on a quarterly basis and can be accessed via the following link:
www.cso.ie/en/statistics/buildingandconstruction/newdwellingcompletions/
The delivery of social and affordable housing is underpinned by local authorities' Housing Delivery Action Plans 2022 – 2026. A copy of Kildare County Council’s plan can be accessed via the following link:
kildarecoco.ie/YourCouncil/Publications/Housing/Kildare%20County%20Council%20Housing%20Delivery%20Action%20Plan.pdf
My Department publishes comprehensive social and affordable housing programme level statistics on a quarterly basis in all local authority areas, including Kildare County Council. This data is published on the statistics page of my Department’s website, at the following link:
www.gov.ie/en/collection/6060e-overall-social-housing-provision/
My Department also publishes the Social Housing Construction Status Report (CSR), which provides details of social housing developments that have been completed, are under construction or are progressing through the various stages of the design and tender processes. The most recent CSR (for Quarter 4 2022) is available at the following link:
www.gov.ie/en/publication/14f82-social-housing-construction-projects-status-report-q4-2022/
Housing for All is working. Supply, which is key to improving our housing system, is increasing. In 2022, nearly 30,000 homes were completed representing an increase of 45% on 2021 (20,560) and 41% on 2019 (21,134), pre-pandemic. The 2022 total exceeds the Housing for All target of 24,600 by 5,251 (21%).
The social housing 2022 output represents the highest annual output in decades. 10,263 social homes were delivered in 2022 through build, acquisition and leasing. This represents an 11.9% increase on 2021 figures, when 9,169 social homes were provided. Of the 10,263 social homes delivered, 7,433 were new-build, a 43% increase on 2021 figures.
2022 represented the first year of a very ambitious programme of delivery of affordable housing. This momentum will continue with delivery stepping up this year. Affordable housing delivery figures show that 1,757 homes were delivered in 2022 through Cost Rental, the First Home Scheme and the Local Authority Affordable Purchase Scheme. Over 2,700 more local authority affordable homes have already been approved for funding along with further affordable housing being planned by the LDA and Approved Housing Bodies. Data on delivery across all affordable housing streams during 2022 is available on my Department’s website at the following link: www.gov.ie/en/collection/6060e-overall-social-housing-provision/#affordable-housing-delivery.
The challenges arising in the housing market are under constant review right across Government and the Government and I continue to explore options to ensure that housing policy can and is being modified to deliver at an accelerated pace.
The Housing for All Action Plan Update (November 2022) and quarterly Housing for All Progress Reports can be accessed on my Department's website at the following links:
www.gov.ie/en/publication/da0d1-action-plan-update-and-q3-2022-progress-report/
www.gov.ie/en/collection/9d2ee-housing-for-all-quarterly-progress-reports/
