Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 17 June 2021
295. Deputy Christopher O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will outline his key policy achievements in his Department since 27 June 2020; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32720/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department's website is a good source of information about activities and initiatives undertaken but by way of illustration, in addition to significant initiatives undertaken to manage the impact of COVID-19 and to prepare for Brexit, some of the key actions delivered since 27 June 2020 include:
- the extension of the Rebuilding Ireland Home Loan;
- the extension of the Pyrite Remediation Scheme to include the administration area of Limerick;
- the development of a new Cost Rental Equity Loan;
- the delivery of the largest voids programme to date;
- an increased budget to support local authority homeless programmes and Covid-19 enhanced services;
- the commencement of work on the strategy for social housing delivery, including target setting, for the 2022-2025 period as part of the Department's lead role in the development of the new Housing for All strategy;
- the establishment, with the Department of Rural and Community Development, of a Town Centre First inter-Departmental Group (IDG) on the regeneration of towns and villages;
- increased funding for the Built Heritage Investment Scheme and the Historic Structures Fund;
- the prioritisation of the Maritime Area Planning Bill and the Land Development Agency Bill;
- the establishment of the Regulatory Authority for Approved Housing Bodies;
- the development of the Marine Spatial Plan;
- the development of the National Marine Planning Framework;
- the development of the Affordable Housing Bill;
- the approval of the General Scheme of a Bill to separate Irish Water from the Ervia Group;
- the publication of the General Scheme of an Electoral Reform Bill to establish an Electoral Commission, modernise the electoral registration process and introduce regulation of online political advertising;
- the continued development of the 'Housing for All' initiative; and
- the commencement of a strategic review of the National Parks and Wildlife Service.
The Programme for Government, Our Shared Future, is the foundation for my Department's main policy initiatives. The Department has commitments across 10 of the 12 Missions in the Programme. The Department's Statement of Strategy for the period 2021-2025 was published in April 2021 and sets out our strategic goals, objectives and actions for the period ahead. It is available on the Department's website at the following link https://www.gov.ie/en/publication/9a047-statement-of-strategy-2021-2025/.
