Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 11 June 2015
42. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the extent to which he remains satisfied regarding the availability of adequate critical infrastructure, such as housing; the extent to which his Department continues to monitor the availability of such facilities and plan for the future accordingly; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18191/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraIncreasing the supply of private and social housing and rebuilding the capacity of the construction sector to deliver that infrastructure are key priorities for this Government. The overall strategic objective of the Government's housing strategy is to enable all households access good quality housing appropriate to household circumstances and in their particular community of choice.
As the Deputy will be aware, the Government published the comprehensive Construction 2020 Strategy for a Renewed Construction Sector in May 2014 aimed at addressing issues in the property and construction sectors and ensuring that any critical bottlenecks that might impede the sector in meeting residential and non-residential demand are addressed. The Strategy incorporates 75 specific actions encompassing the development of an overall strategic approach to housing supply, identifying and implementing further improvements to the planning system to facilitate appropriate development, and seeking to improve financing options for development and mortgage provision.
My Department takes the lead on a range of actions under Construction 2020 relating to housing and planning, including the publication of the Social Housing Strategy in November 2014 and two significant pieces of legislation.
The Urban Regeneration and Housing Bill, aimed primarily at addressing the current housing supply shortage situation, providing for the revision of the Part V arrangements on social and affordable housing; retrospective application of reduced development contribution charges; the introduction of a vacant site levy to incentivise urban regeneration and the provision of housing in central urban areas, was published last week. This Bill is targeted for enactment before the summer recess.
The Planning and Development (No. 2) Bill provides for the primary planning-related recommendation of the Mahon Tribunal, namely the establishment of a new Office of the Planning Regulator; a legislatively defined approach to the development of a successor strategy to the 2002 National Spatial Strategy - the National Planning Framework - and enhanced transparency in, and streamlining of, the planning system. This Bill is due to be brought to Government seeking approval to publish before the summer recess.
Construction 2020 seeks to realign housing demand and supply and promote stability in the sector. We are already beginning to see some welcome and positive signs of recovery in the sector. Particularly notable in this regard is the increase in the number of house completions in 2014 to 11,016 units nationally – an increase of 33% on the 2013 figure.
Furthermore, the Social Housing Strategy was developed under Action 8 of Construction 2020 and is a key component in the delivery of social housing infrastructure. The targeted social housing provision of over 110,000 social housing units, through the delivery of 35,000 new social housing units and meeting the housing needs of some 75,000 households through the Housing Assistance Payment and Rental Accommodation Scheme, will address the needs of the 90,000 households on the housing waiting list in full, with flexibility to meet potential future demand. Importantly, the Strategy restores the State to a central role in the provision of social housing.
The Strategy will be delivered in two phases. Phase 1 targets the delivery of 18,000 additional housing units and 32,400 Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) and Rental Accommodation Scheme (RAS) units, by the end of 2017. In phase 2, spanning the years 2018 to 2020, the strategy targets the delivery of 17,000 additional units and 43,000 Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) and Rental Accommodation Scheme (RAS) units.
With regard to monitoring progress, effective on-going cross-Government coordination is essential for the successful delivery of all actions included in both Strategies. My colleague, Minister of State Coffey has special responsibility for Housing, Planning and Coordination of Construction 2020 and the implementation of the Strategy is overseen by the Construction 2020, Housing Planning and Mortgage Arrears Cabinet sub-Committee, which is chaired by An Taoiseach.
Likewise, the Social Housing Strategy has a clear governance structure in place to drive and oversee measured output and outcomes. The Strategy is clear, measurable and targeted to increase the supply of social housing, reform delivery arrangements and meet the housing needs of all households on the housing list. In order to do that, Ministers Coffey and I co-chair a high level Oversight Group where all key delivery agents from my Department, local authorities, Approved Housing Bodies and the Departments of Public Expenditure and Reform; Finance; and Social Protection are represented.
Since the Strategy was published details of over €1.5 billion for building, purchase and leasing schemes, to accommodate 25% of the housing list by 2017, has been announced and €312m was approved for the first tranche of building 1,700 social housing units. The projects will have a knock on effect of creating approximately 3,000 jobs in construction. As more projects are approved there will be a series of further announcements. The Government is committed to ensuring that every household will have access to secure, good quality housing suited to their needs at an affordable price in a sustainable community.
