Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 26 January 2023
143. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the extent to which extra methods and means can be employed to provide extra housing in sufficient volume to meet requirements to address homelessness, child homelessness and family homelessness; if he continues to identify extra measures likely to positively impact in this situation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3635/23]
Amharc ar fhreagra173. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will provide all details of the way he will address the huge shortfall in the delivery of social housing under Housing for All; his plans to address, particularly, the lack of three and four bedroomed family homes in the pipeline; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3652/23]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 143 and 173 together.
Housing for All is the Government’s plan to increase the supply of housing to an average of 33,000 per year over the next decade. This includes the delivery of 90,000 social homes, 36,000 affordable purchase homes and 18,000 cost rental homes. Housing for All is supported by an investment package of over €4bn per annum, through an overall combination of €12bn in direct Exchequer funding, €3.5bn in funding through the Land Development Agency and €5bn funding through the Housing Finance Agency.
Under 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.
A key action of Housing for All is that local authorities developed and submitted Housing Delivery Action Plans to include details of social and affordable housing delivery. The Plans set out details of both social and affordable housing delivery as appropriate over the period 2022-2026, in line with targets set under Housing for All. The Plans include details of the locations and delivery streams for social housing schemes. The Plans also include information on housing typology, including sufficient numbers of 1, 2, 3 and 4 bedroom units. It is a matter for each local authority to ensure that it delivers the right mix of housing to meet the housing needs in its area. Housing Delivery Action Plans are available on the websites of the relevant local authorities.
Modern methods of construction (MMC) has been identified as a key measure to address increased housing delivery and methods to support increased use of MMC are set out in Pathway 5 of Housing for All. All homes delivered using MMC must comply with the Building Regulations, the aim of which is to provide for the safety and welfare of people in and about buildings, and in addition achieve a 60-year durability for all key elements.
The Housing for All Action Plan Update, which was published on 2 November, includes a new action to develop a roadmap with targets for increased use of MMC in public housing. My Department is now working closely with the local authorities to increase the use of MMC in social and affordable housing. A copy of Housing for All Action Plan Update can be access on my Department’s website at the following link: www.gov.ie/en/publication/da0d1-action-plan-update-and-q3-2022-progress-report/
My Department publishes comprehensive programme level statistics on a quarterly basis on social housing delivery activity. This data is available to the end of Quarter 3 2022, and is published on the statistics page of my Department’s website, at the following link: www.gov.ie/en/collection/6060e-overall-social-housing-provision/. Data for Quarter 4 is currently being collated and will be published in due course.
My Department also publishes the Social Housing Construction Status Report (CSR). The CSR provides details of social housing developments that have been completed, are under construction or are progressing through the various stages of the design and pre-tender process. The most recent publication was for Q3 2022 and shows that 9,115 social homes were onsite with an additional 13,708 homes at design and tender stage. The report is available at the following link: www.gov.ie/en/publication/2b4cd-social-housing-construction-projects-status-report-q3-2022/.
