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Housing Provision

Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 23 July 2020

Thursday, 23 July 2020

Ceisteanna (123, 124, 126, 130, 132, 135, 138)

Bernard Durkan

Ceist:

123. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the extent to which he can foresee the provision of adequate private sites, affordable housing and Rebuilding Ireland loans in each local authority area nationwide commensurate with their requirements; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17913/20]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Bernard Durkan

Ceist:

124. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the degree to which he expects to be in a position to liaise with each local authority in the greater Dublin area with particular reference to the immediately adjoining counties such as County Kildare with a view to the launching of a programme of local authority house building, the development of privately serviced sites and sufficient local authority loan approvals under the Rebuilding Ireland loan scheme with the objective of making available accessible and affordable housing; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17914/20]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Bernard Durkan

Ceist:

126. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the number of direct build local authority houses started or completed in each of the past three years to date; the extent to which he expects to increase this number in the future; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17916/20]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Bernard Durkan

Ceist:

130. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the extent to which he has engaged with major house building firms with a view to the provision of the maximum number of local authority or affordable houses by county annually in the future; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17920/20]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Bernard Durkan

Ceist:

132. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the estimated time by which he expects a sufficient decrease in the number of applicants on local authority waiting lists to be made based on the number of applicants on local authority housing lists in each county; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17922/20]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Bernard Durkan

Ceist:

135. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the number of families likely to qualify for and obtain local authority houses for the remainder of 2020; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17925/20]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Bernard Durkan

Ceist:

138. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the number of local authority houses under construction; when they are likely to be ready for occupation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17929/20]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

I propose to take Questions Nos. 123, 124, 126, 130, 132, 135 and 138 together.

My Department is fully engaged in a programme of activities focused on the delivery of social homes throughout the country. In my first weeks as Minister I have engaged with stakeholders across local government, the approved housing bodies and other delivery partners. There are of course many challenges presented by the unprecedented halt in activity predicated by the COVID emergency but this government is delivering on targets for this year.

The new Programme for Government commits to the delivery of an additional 50,000 new social homes over the coming five years and I am working closely with my officials and stakeholders to put the final details on a package of measures to bring about innovation and acceleration of delivery of social and affordable housing.

Work has already begun to increase the provision of affordable housing through measures such as the Serviced Sites Fund and the Local Infrastructure Housing Activation Fund and to assist buyers who wish to purchase homes through expansion of the Rebuilding Ireland Home Loan. Incentives such as Help to Buy, will also continue to be important.

It is intended to bring forward a comprehensive Cost Rental housing policy, which will represent a very significant new housing tenure over the long term and go towards addressing affordability challenges for those who are not eligible for social housing. We will also prioritise the implementation of the Affordable Purchase Scheme, including ensuring the primary legislation reflects Government priorities, the development of regulations, guidance and support of delivery programmes relating to same. More details on further measures will be announced in the Autumn.

The Rebuilding Ireland Home Loan (RIHL) scheme continues to support credit worthy first time buyers who are unable to secure commercial mortgages to purchase their own homes, with over 1,500 homes persons purchased using RIHL funding as of end-2019. Additional funding for new lending of up to €210 million has been secured to ensure the continuation of the RIHL in 2020, and details of 2020 allocations have been communicated to all 31 local authorities.

Details on the number of households qualified for social housing support in each local authority area are set out in the statutory Summary of Social Housing Assessments (SSHA).

The most recent summary, conducted in June 2019, shows that 68,693 households were assessed as qualified for and being in need of social housing support. This represents a decrease of 3,165 households or 4.4% on the last assessment in June 2018. Since 2016, the numbers have decreased from 91,600 to 68,693, a reduction of 25%.

My Department publishes comprehensive statistics on a quarterly basis on all social housing delivery activity under Rebuilding Ireland. This is published on the statistics page of my Department’s website, at the following link: https://www.housing.gov.ie/housing/social-housing/social-and-affordble/overall-social-housing-provision. This will provide the Deputy with detailed breakdown of activity across multiple years up to end Q4 2019. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Q1 2020 returns have been deferred and will be collected in conjunction with Q2 2020. We will report these in due course.

In addition to the statistical overview of activity in each local authority, a detailed Social Housing Construction Status Report (CSR) is published which provides scheme level detail on new build activity under Rebuilding Ireland. The most recent publication covers the period up to the end of Q4 2019 and was published on 14 May 2020. This report is available on the Rebuilding Ireland website at the following link: https://rebuildingireland.ie/news/minister-murphy-publishes-social-housing-construction-status-report-for-q4-2019-2/.

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