Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 21 November 2023
296. Deputy Ivana Bacik asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will report on the framework of Housing for All in respect of outstanding actions in the Joint Policy Statement on his Department and the Department of Health on Housing Options for our Ageing Population. [50773/23]
View answerUnder Housing for All, there is a policy objective to increase and improve housing options for older people to facilitate ageing in place with dignity and independence. Housing for All builds on and takes forward the ongoing actions in "Housing Options for Our Ageing Population" policy statement from 2019, published jointly by my Department and the Department of Health, which provides policy options in support of a range of housing and accommodation alternatives for older people.
The actions included the development of a catalogue of housing options that provide a range of choices that meet the diverse need of an ageing population, spanning owner occupier, private rental and social housing, whilst providing accessible care and the associated support needs. Both the policy statement and Housing for All commit to increasing the housing options available to older people to facilitate ageing in place with dignity and independence, including the development of a national policy on rightsizing.
My Department is continuing to advance work on the development of this policy and exploration of the options to support and incentivise rightsizing on a voluntary basis with the objective of optimising the potential for more efficient use of under occupied existing private and social housing stock. The development of a national rightsizing policy is having regard to a focused stakeholder consultation. My Department is working on bringing forward a draft national policy in the coming months.
