Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 11 April 2024
51. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the extent to which extra methods and means can be employed to provide extra housing in sufficient volume to meet requirements to address homelessness, child homelessness and family homelessness, if he continues to identify extra measures likely to positively impact in this situation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15395/24]
View answerThe increase in homelessness is a serious concern for Government and is being actively addressed. There is no shortage of will or determination to deal with the issue of homelessness. The capital funding being provided for housing in 2024, coupled with LDA and HFA investment is the highest ever in the history of the State. This funding will ensure we can continue to deliver new social and affordable homes for purchase and rent at pace. Budget 2024 also provides funding of over €242m for the delivery of homeless services.
Increasing the supply of new, and in particular social homes, is key to addressing child and family homelessness. The latest Housing for All Progress Report, published on 25 January, showed that the number of new homes delivered in 2023 was the highest in fifteen years, with 32,695 new homes completed. Momentum has continued into this year. In the first two months of 2024, building commenced on 7,056 new homes. This figure has increased by 72% when compared to the same period in 2023, with the rolling 12-month commencements now above 35,750. Furthermore, nationally, planning permission was granted for 41,225 new homes in 2023, an increase of 21% on 2022.
Social delivery statistics, published on 28 March 2024, show 11,939 new social homes were delivered in 2023. This is a significant increase on 2022, which in itself was the best year of delivery since the mid-1970s. The 8,110 new-build social homes represents the highest level of delivery of new-build social housing in half a century.
The delivery of affordable housing has more than doubled in 2023 when compared with 2022, with over 4,000 affordable homes delivered in the calendar year. This includes both affordable purchase and cost rental homes via Local Authorities, Approved Housing Bodies, the Land Development Agency (LDA), the First Home Scheme and through the new Vacant Property Refurbishment Grant.
A number of new measures have been introduced to expedite supply, including the Secure Tenancy Affordable Rental (STAR) scheme, the temporary waiving of development levies, and the expansion of the Vacant Property Refurbishment Grant. Alongside these, Government recently approved additional interim funding for the Land Development Agency (LDA) to support the delivery 12,900, primarily affordable cost rental, homes out to 2028. Other reforms and activation measures designed to increase supply such as the Croí Cónaithe Cities scheme and Project Tosaigh have also been introduced under Housing for All.
Government and I are fully committed to the successful implementation of Housing for All, which contains the comprehensive suite of timed actions that are required to ensure that sustainable housing supply is delivered. We continue to keep measures in Housing for All under review to ensure we are agile and responsive in addressing the challenges in housing. Housing for All and the second Housing for All Action Plan Update, published on 14 November 2023, outlines all of the various measures which are currently available through the Plan. This can be accessed at the following link:
www.gov.ie/en/campaigns/dfc50-housing-for-all/
