Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 7 December 2023
28. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to advise what affordable housing schemes are planned for counties Roscommon and Galway; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53470/23]
View answer55. Deputy Jennifer Murnane O'Connor asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage for an update on the provision of both social and affordable housing in Carlow; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53848/23]
View answer88. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to provide an update in relation to the provision of affordable housing in Galway; when affordable housing will be available for purchase in Galway, and when people will be able to register their interest for it; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54110/23]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 28, 55 and 88 together.
Under Housing for All, the Government will deliver 47,600 new build social homes; 3,500 social homes through long-term leasing, and 28,500 new affordable homes in the period 2022-2026.
Each local authority has prepared its own 5 year Housing Delivery Action Plan setting out their social and affordable housing delivery plans. 18 local authorities, including Carlow, Galway City and Galway County Councils, were asked to include planned affordable housing delivery in their Plans, in line with the five-year Affordable Housing delivery targets assigned in March 2022. The plans for Carlow, Galway City, Galway County and Roscommon are available on the websites of the local authorities concerned.
Roscommon County Council does not have affordable housing delivery target as the assessed level of affordably constrained need is not high, as house prices are below the national median. The Affordable Housing Fund (AHF) is available to all local authorities to assist in responding to localised affordability need where it occurs. Roscommon has not applied for AHF assistance to date. Assistance with developing schemes is available from my Department, the Housing Agency and the Local Government Management Agency if required.
I anticipate that the Croí Cónaithe Towns Fund, which includes funding for the Vacant Property Refurbishment Grant and the Ready to Build Scheme, will prove valuable in addressing overall affordability needs in Carlow, Galway City, Galway County and Roscommon which all have vacant homes officers in place who can assist the public with bringing vacant homes back into use, with up to €70,000 in grant support available to do so.
Comprehensive programme level statistics covering social and affordable housing delivery programmes are published quarterly. Data up to and including the first two quarters of 2023 is published on my Department’s website, at the following link: www.gov.ie/en/collection/6060e-overall-social-housing-provision/. The Affordable Delivery reports include First Home scheme data and Carlow, Galway City, Galway County and Roscommon have seen good early signs of take-up.
Significant progress is being made to deliver the Government's ambitious social and affordable housing targets under Housing for All, and my Department is working to further accelerate delivery with local authorities, AHBs, the LDA, and via the First Home scheme.
