Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 23 June 2022
16. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage his targets for new social and affordable housing in the Cavan and Monaghan areas for 2022; and the progress that has been made in reaching those targets to date. [32961/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraUnder Housing for All, the Government will deliver 47,600 new build social homes; 3,500 social homes through long-term leasing and 28,500 new affordable homes in the period 2022-2026. In September 2021, I issued social housing targets to each local authority for the period 2022-2026. For 2022, Cavan has a target to deliver 150 new build social homes and Monaghan has a target to deliver 125 new build social homes.
My Department publishes comprehensive programme level statistics on a quarterly basis on social housing delivery activity by all local authorities. This data is available to the end of 2021, and is published on the Local Authority Housing Scheme Statistics page of my Department’s website (www.gov.ie/en/collection/6060e-overall-social-housing-provision/). Data for Q1 2022 social housing delivery is currently being collated and will be published shortly.
Local authorities with a strong and identified affordable housing need were asked to prepare Affordable Delivery Action Plans and were set five-year Affordable Delivery Targets. In counties without affordable delivery targets, including Cavan and Monaghan, where localised affordability challenges in key towns arise they can still apply to my Department for funding to develop affordable housing schemes where they can demonstrate that an affordable scheme is needed to address those localised affordability challenges and they can meet the criteria for the Affordable Housing Fund.
The First Home Scheme to support affordable purchases of new homes in the private market will operate nationwide and so will encompass Cavan and Monaghan. Targeted at First Time Buyers or those eligible under the Government’s ‘Fresh Start’ principle, the Scheme will be delivered via a strategic partnership between the State and participating mortgage lenders, and will be launched in the coming weeks. It will improve access to newly-built homes by using a shared equity model to bridge the gap between mortgage finance and the cost of new homes. The homes must be priced within regional price ceilings which will reflect the median prices paid by First Time Buyers for new homes in each area, so this is an intervention to support homeownership in the lower region of the market.
