Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 14 February 2023
264. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will provide an update under Housing for All to a new national policy on right-sizing to highlight the potential of right-sizing for households that no longer fully occupy their current privately owned accommodation and an exploration of options to support and incentivise right-sizing on a voluntary basis. [7126/23]
Amharc ar fhreagraHousing for All (published in September 2021) provides a new housing plan for Ireland to 2030 with the overall objective that every citizen in the State should have access to good quality homes through a steady supply of housing in the right locations, with economic, social and environmental sustainability built into the system. The strategy commits to increasing the housing options available to older people to facilitate ageing in place with dignity and independence, including the development of a national policy on rightsizing.
My Department is advancing work on the development of this policy and exploration of the options to support and incentivise rightsizing on a voluntary basis with the objective of optimising the potential for more efficient use of under occupied existing private and social housing stock. The development of a national rightsizing policy is having regard to a focused stakeholder consultation undertaken in the latter part of 2022 and existing local authority approaches to rightsizing for social housing. My Department is working on bringing forward a draft national policy in the coming months.
