Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 17 April 2018
1609. Deputy Fiona O'Loughlin asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government when funding regarding the local infrastructure housing activation fund will be made available in view of the fact that south County Kildare needs funding for a new bridge. [16381/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe funding of transport infrastructure in general is a matter within the remit of my colleague, the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport. The planning, design and implementation of individual road projects on national roads are a matter for Transport Infrastructure Ireland under the Roads Acts 1993-2015 in conjunction with the relevant local authority. For regional and local roads, it is a matter for each respective local authority.
The Local Infrastructure Housing Activation Fund (LIHAF) is a key element of Pillar 3 of the Rebuilding Ireland Action Plan for Housing & Homelessness. The objective of the Fund is to provide public off-site infrastructure to relieve critical infrastructure blockages to enable the accelerated delivery of housing on key development sites in Dublin and in urban areas of high demand for housing. The types of infrastructure being provided can include roads, bridges, diversion of powerlines, drainage works as well as public amenities.
Funding is only available under the Local Infrastructure Housing Activation Fund in respect of enabling infrastructure which activates or accelerates housing development and which is in accordance with the qualifying criteria set down in the call for proposals. It is not a substitute for the normal funding methods for transport infrastructure.
The first call for proposals under LIHAF was issued to all local authorities in August 2016. Kildare County Council submitted 7 proposals in respect of Naas, Kildare, Maynooth, Newbridge, Celbridge, Leixlip and Sallins. Kildare County Council received approval for the proposals at Maynooth, Naas and Sallins, which have an aggregate allocation of €21.4 million.
As part of Budget 2018, I announced that an additional €50 million Exchequer funding will be available for a second LIHAF call, to be made shortly. It will be open to all local authorities, including Kildare, to submit new projects or resubmit previous projects for consideration at that time, provided they meet the criteria for the Fund.
