Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 15 February 2024
132. Deputy Michael Moynihan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the action he is taking in relation to a lack of services delaying the provision of housing; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6983/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraIn October 2021, the Government published Housing for All, our housing plan to 2030. The plan sets out over four pathways a series of actions to achieve a steady supply of housing in the right locations and with economic, social and environmental sustainability built into the system. The plan addresses the actions needed to support delivery under the four pathways and to enable a sustainable housing system. This includes (inter alia) supporting critical infrastructure development in the transport, communications, electricity and water sectors, noting that a properly functioning housing sector is “dependent on critical infrastructure”.
Section 5.6 of Housing for All notes that a critical supporting infrastructure, including transport, utility supplies and communication networks, must be in place and includes an objective to “Support Critical Infrastructure Development” (Objective 26).
The most recent Housing for All progress report was published in Q4 2023. Action 43 of the progress report states that a specific working group is to be convened to ensure the timely delivery of utilities and infrastructure required to support housing development with updates to be reported to the Public Service Delivery Working Group on a quarterly basis.
The working group, established in December 2023, comprises my Department, Uisce Éireann, EirGrid, ESB Networks, the Local Government Management Agency, Transport Infrastructure Ireland and the National Transport Agency. One of the main objectives of the group is to coordinate delivery programmes and identifying key enablers and barriers to infrastructure and utilities provision with a view to supporting Housing for All priorities and informing policy and investment frameworks across all levels of government. The working group will meet on a quarterly basis and report to the Public Service Delivery Working Group on a quarterly basis.
Each planning authority adopts a development plan, required to be consistent with the National Planning Framework and the relevant Regional Spatial and Economic Strategy, which sets out the 6 year plan for development in each local authority area and thereby facilitates alignment with infrastructure provision. Planning authorities include objectives in their development plan relating to housing, including the zoning of land for residential use, and relating to the provision of infrastructure required to support housing. The making of a development plan is a reserved function of the elected members of each planning authority.
Uisce Éireann provides quarterly updates to my Department in relation to water and wastewater connections activity through the Housing for All reporting structures. Uisce Éireann connection-related activity for the full year of 2023 can be found at: www.water.ie/connections/ and annually updated capacity registers for water and wastewater can be found at : Capacity Registers | Connections | Uisce Éireann (formerly Irish Water).
The Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications has responsibility for matters relating to electricity supply and the Minister for Transport has responsibility for matters relating to transport.
