Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 7 December 2023
2. Deputy Michael Lowry asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage in light of the ongoing challenges in our housing sector, if he will provide an update on the progress and effectiveness of the current strategies implemented by his Department, particularly in the realms of affordable housing provision and homelessness prevention; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54300/23]
View answerIn light of ongoing challenges in our housing sector, will the Minister of State provide an update on the progress and effectiveness of the current strategies implemented by the Department, particularly in the realms of affordable housing provision and homelessness prevention? Will he make a statement on the matter?
Housing for All sets out the range of actions necessary to increase the supply of housing to the required 33,000 homes, on average, per year over the next decade. Some 54,000 affordable homes will be delivered between now and 2030. In the first 18 months of the new programme, more than 3,000 affordable homes have been delivered through our new cost-rental schemes, the first home scheme and the local authority affordable purchase scheme. This momentum will continue as the pipeline of affordable housing delivery is developed and expanded by our delivery partners. In the past month alone, the Minister approved funding of €448 million for more than 1,900 affordable homes in eight local authority areas. This is in addition to the strong pipeline of more than 22,600 social homes either on site or at various stages of design and procurement. Ultimately, increasing housing supply across all tenures is essential in our efforts to prevent homelessness. Housing for All is successfully supporting a significantly increased supply of new homes, with almost 30,000 built in 2022. This represents an increase of 45% on 2021 and 5,250 homes, or 21%, more than the Housing for All target of 24,600.
Furthermore, more than 22,400 homes have been built to the end of September 2023, with the Housing for All targets of 29,000 and 33,450 expected to be met, if not exceeded, in 2023 and 2024 respectively. In commenting on the effectiveness of the Government 's Housing for All strategy, it is worth putting on record the latest report from Euroconstruct, an independent construction market forecasting network active in 19 European countries. It notes that construction output in Ireland is forecast to grow at the fastest rate among 19 European countries, expanding by 3.2% this year and 4.4% in 2024. Ireland is bucking the European trends cited in the report with total construction activity in Europe expected to fall by 1.7% in 2023 and 2.1% in 2024. One of the reasons cited for this growth is that the Government is making record State investment available for housing, with €5.1 billion committed to delivering new homes in 2024. The funding being provided, coupled with LDA and HFA investment, is the highest in history and will ensure we can continue to deliver new affordable homes, for purchase and rent, at pace.
I welcome the progress with the Department's housing plans. It unfortunately still falls short of addressing the current chronic housing shortage. The deficiency is leading to high rent demands, most of which are beyond the reach of young families. This has left some parents and relatives with no alternative other than to help their loved ones. For some, the only way to help is to provide a modular dwelling on their property to give their loved ones a roof over their heads. When such circumstances strike, the element of right or wrong becomes an afterthought. They can either risk being harshly penalised by the local authority for permitting such a dwelling, or they can stand by and watch their loved ones become homeless. A family would do anything to avoid seeing a son, daughter or other family member without accommodation. Some months ago, I had a discussion with the Minister, Deputy O'Brien, about the predicament of many genuine people across County Tipperary and north-west County Kilkenny. They have been served with threatening legal letters or enforcements due to the fact that they have a historic unauthorised modular home located on the same grounds as a family home. These people placed the mobile homes as a matter of last resort. In many cases I am aware of exceptional circumstances, which make this absolutely necessary. Will the Minister of State tell me what progress is being made in that regard?
I was not aware of this specific issue with modular developments. My response to his first question was in terms of general delivery. If there are specific cases the Deputy has brought forward to the Minister, Deputy O'Brien, we would appreciate if he could also bring them forward to us. I know there are planning regulations around the development of modular homes. I appreciate some families are in a situation where they are looking at options on their own land for their family members - be it a mobile home or some kind of modular solution. Within the two areas referenced, north-west Kilkenny and Tipperary north, the local authorities are proactive in particular in the development of rural houses and rural construction. From my own local authority in Kilkenny it is not just housing delivery in the scheduled towns or the larger urban centre of Kilkenny city. They are committed to ensuring affordable housing is also delivered in rural areas. If there are specific cases the Deputy wishes to bring to our attention, we would appreciate him bringing them forward.
I will raise that issue again with the Minister, Deputy O'Brien. However, in the context of social housing, I know the Minister of State has mentioned Kilkenny and Tipperary are proactive. How many councils are working to full capacity to deliver social housing and how many have the ability to do more than they are doing? In every system there are those that are good, that are competent and capable, and make the exceptional effort to build houses. From my understanding, some of our councils around the country are lagging behind. What efforts are the Department and officials making to ensure we have a uniform standard of building, in other words that the same effort is being made and the maximum return achieved from the delivery of new council-built social and affordable housing?
All of the local authorities are asked to bring forward their figures for social and affordable housing. They all have yearly targets to achieve. I do not have the deliverability figures before me. Not all local authorities are meeting those targets, but many are. Our Department has also ensured that in planning departments, the additional staff required have been brought forward to help in the delivery of housing. The Department has not been found wanting to ensure local authorities have the financial resources and planning staff at their disposal to ensure the delivery of housing. If there are specific figures we can bring them forward for Tipperary north and north-west Kilkenny. Again, on the specific issues brought forward, if there are families the Deputy has brought forward to the Minister, Deputy O'Brien, he might bring them forward to us again and we can look at them.
