Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 21 November 2023
289. Deputy Cian O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will provide details of the public sector benchmarking exercise used in the first bundle of the social housing public private partnerships; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50626/23]
View answerThe Social Housing Public Private Partnership (PPP) Programme represents an additional strand of delivery to increase the supply of social housing. Housing for All includes a specific objective to increase the use of PPPs to deliver social housing and significant progress is being made under the new programme. My Department is actively working with relevant stakeholders including the National Development Finance Agency (NDFA), the Housing Delivery Co-ordination Office within the Local Government Management Agency, and relevant local authorities to progress further bundles of projects. The programme currently consists of 7 bundles of sites, following the recent launch of Bundle 7, details of which can be accessed on my Department’s website at the following link: www.gov.ie/en/press-release/c2535-almost-650-new-social-homes-across-dublin-city-galway-limerick-and-wexford-to-be-delivered-in-new-phase-of-ppp-programme/#. Bundles 1 and 2 delivered almost 1,000 units in 2020 and 2021, and there is a further 3,500 units in the pipeline under Bundles 3 to 7.
The Public Sector Benchmark (PSB) is an essential part of any PPP project. It contains commercially sensitive information in relation to the methodology used for costing public sector projects and for the pricing of risks by public sector bodies. In accordance with guidelines issued by the Department of Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform (Guidelines for the use of Public Private Partnerships), the final PSB, or any element thereof, is not made public during the tendering process nor where it is intended to procure further similar projects in the near future (e.g. subsequent project bundles as part of an ongoing PPP programme).
As Bundle 3, which is currently progressing through the tender process, will follow the same structure as Bundles 1 and 2 and given the potential impact on value for money for the State, it is not appropriate to release the PSB for Bundles 1 and 2 at this time. However, the Department of Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform has agreed, in the interest of transparency and timing, that the PSB for Bundle 1 may be published when the tender process for Bundle 3 has been finalised and the contract is awarded, notwithstanding the pipeline of projects progressing as part of Bundles 4 to 7.
