Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 15 February 2024
87. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the reason there is no affordable housing scheme in County Roscommon; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6367/24]
View answerUnder 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. The plan for Roscommon County Council is available on its official website.
Roscommon County Council does not have an affordable housing delivery target as the assessed level of new affordably constrained housing need is not high and house prices in the county are below the national median. The Affordable Housing Fund (AHF) is, however, 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, but it is open to the local authority to do so. Assistance with developing schemes is available from my Department, the Housing Agency and the Local Government Management Agency if required.
Local authorities also now complete and submit data returns to my Department on delivery of affordable homes in their area in the same manner as is done for social housing. Statistical reports detailing affordable housing delivery during 2022 and for the first three quarters of 2023 are available on my Department's website at the following link - www.gov.ie/en/collection/6060e-overall-social-housing-provision/#affordable-housing-delivery. These reports show that the First Home scheme is now playing a role in the delivery of affordable homes in Roscommon and I expect the early momentum seen here to continue to grow as the scheme takes hold.
Given the profile of the county, I also 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 need in Roscommon. A vacant homes officer is now 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.
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 with local authorities, AHBs, the LDA, and via the First Home scheme to further accelerate delivery.
