Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 11 July 2023
431. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to outline his Department’s strategy in regard to modular housing building projects; and the number of units projected to be delivered, by county, in tabular form. [34394/23]
View answerHousing for All is the Government’s plan to increase the supply of housing to an average of 33,000 per year over the next decade. This includes an average of 10,000 new build social homes each year in the period to 2030. Housing for All is supported by an investment package of over €4bn per annum, through an overall combination of €12bn in direct Exchequer funding, €3.5bn in funding through the Land Development Agency and €5bn funding through the Housing Finance Agency.
Modern Methods of Construction (MMC) has been identified as a key measure to address increased housing delivery and methods to support increased use of MMC are set out in Pathway 5 of Housing for All. The development of MMC will improve productivity in construction and increase efficiency in residential construction.
The Housing for All Action Plan Update and Quarter 3 2022 Progress Report, which was published on 2 November, includes a new action to develop a roadmap with targets for increased use of MMC in public housing. My Department is now working closely with the local authorities, to increase the use of MMC in social and affordable housing.
Modern Methods of Construction is used to describe a range of offsite manufacturing and innovative onsite techniques that provide alternatives to traditional house building. Modern Methods of Construction can be completed dwelling units manufactured in a factory setting and transported to site, or panelised components manufactured in a factory and assembled on site. All Modern Methods of Construction systems must be of a high quality, comply with all requirements of the Building Regulations and have a 60-year durability.
Last December funding of €94m was provided to local authorities to address legacy land debts. The provision of this funding was linked to the immediate development of a housing proposal, a commitment to use Modern Methods of Construction (MMC) and for construction to start in 2023 or no later than 2024. A total of 26 sites received funding as part of an accelerated delivery programme, and with some additional sites since added, my Department is overseeing a project to progress delivery of MMC projects on 35 sites which will deliver approximately 1,800 new social homes.
The Office of Public Works (OPW), in conjunction with the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth (DCEDIY) as the Department with policy responsibility, is also leading on a project to secure the provision of modular homes to accommodate Beneficiaries of Temporary Protection from the Ukraine.
