Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 26 January 2023
233. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the degree to which housing policy can and is being modified to deliver the end product at an accelerated pace; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3897/23]
Amharc ar fhreagraHousing for All commits to increasing the supply of housing to an average of 33,000 new homes per year. It has secured and sustained levels of State investment of over €4bn a year, giving the construction sector the certainty it needs to help ensure the ambition of the Plan is realised and 300,000 new homes are built by 2030.
Supply is increasing. The 2022 target of 24,600 homes will be exceeded. Recent indicators show that the Plan is working:
- 7,544 homes were completed in Q3 2022, a rise of 62.5% from the same quarter in 2021.
- The number of new home completions for the first three quarters of 2022 was 20,807, which is more than was seen for the whole of 2021 (20,560) or any other year since the series began in 2011.
- In 2022, building commenced on almost 27,000 new homes.
- Planning permission was granted for 40,030 homes in the year ending Q3 2022. This is a 2.4% increase when compared to the same time period to Q3 2021 (39,077).
The ERSI forecast that 54,000 homes will be completed in the two years 2022 and 2023 (28,000 and 26,000, respectively), which is in line with Housing for All projections for the period.
Housing for All has in-built flexibility to review actions and targets, as needed. The first annual update of the Plan was published on 2 November 2022 and sets out how the Government is responding to the current challenges in the housing sector. The update identifies 33 high-priority actions to activate and accelerate the delivery of housing supply, whilst also continuing to deliver on the fundamental reforms set out in the Plan.
Acting now, with measures like the extension of the LDA’s Project Tosaigh; the Croí Cónaithe (Cities) initiative; increasing the subvention to local authorities under the Affordable Housing Fund; and the recent increase in the Cost Rental Equity Loan for AHBs, will further improve viability, and get sites activated that might not otherwise be developed.
In parallel, we will continue to deliver on the fundamental reforms set out in the Plan, such as addressing the cost of construction; accelerating the adoption of Modern Methods of Construction, particularly in the delivery of public housing; and reforming the planning system to ensure a simpler, more streamlined process for all stakeholders.
The updated Action Plan can be accessed on my Department’s website at the following link: www.gov.ie/en/publication/da0d1-action-plan-update-and-q3-2022-progress-report/ .
The challenges arising in the housing market are under constant review right across Government and the Government and I continue to explore options to ensure that housing policy can and is being modified to deliver at an accelerated pace.
