Written Answers Nos. 241-248
241. Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the breakdown of the number of apartments in Dublin west built since 2018, by categories build to rent, approved housing bodies, social housing, cost rental and any other available data. [6942/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraData on new dwelling completions are published by local authority level on a quarterly basis by the CSO on its website at the following link: data.cso.ie/table/NDQ06.
To note this data on home completions is not gathered or published by reference to the areas of Dáil constituencies, and Dublin West covers parts of both Dublin City and Fingal.
The data are disaggregated by local authority and dwelling type, i.e. single houses, scheme houses and apartments. A breakdown of the number of these homes likely to be available for sale or rent is not provided.
Separately, my Department publishes comprehensive programme-level statistics on a quarterly basis on affordable housing and on social housing delivery activity in each local authority. This data is published on my Department's website at: www.gov.ie/en/collection/6060e-overall-social-housing-provision/.
The Q3 2024 housing delivery statistics were published on 20 December 2024. Data for Q4 2024 is currently being collated and will be verified and published in due course.
242. Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage for a list of all housing projects in Dublin west where Government funding programmes are involved, including the type of funding programme, for what purpose and the number of units involved. [6943/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department collects, collates and publishes data on a local authority basis. My Department publishes comprehensive programme-level statistics on a quarterly basis on social and affordable housing delivery activity in each local authority. This data is available to the end of Q3 2024, 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 Q4 2024 is currently being collated and will be published in due course.
In addition, my Department published the Social Housing Construction Status Report (CSR) which provides details of social housing developments and their location that have been completed, are under construction or are progressing through the various stages of the design and tender processes.The most recent publication was for Quarter 3 2024 . All Construction Status Reports are available at the following link: www.gov.ie/en/collection/cb885-social-housing-construction-projects-status-reports/A version of the CSR file can also be downloaded for analysis by local authority, location etc. at this link: data.gov.ie/dataset/social-housing-construction-status-report-q3-2024
Under Housing for All, each local authority was required to prepare a Housing Delivery Action Plan. This Plan sets 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 have been published on local authority's own websites.
As detailed under Housing for All, the Government plans to deliver 54,000 affordable homes, including 36,000 affordable purchase and 18,000 cost rental homes, by 2030. A comprehensive implementation strategy is in place to support the various affordable housing schemes now being delivered by a range of delivery partners.
Information on all affordable housing schemes currently advertised can be found on the websites of respective delivery partners, as well as on the Affordable Homes website, www.affordablehomes.ie.
In Dublin West specifically, approval has been given under the Cost Rental Equity Loan for 4 projects, with expected delivery of 591 cost rental units, with approval granted under the Secure Tenancy Affordable Rental scheme for a further 247 cost rental units. In addition, funding approval is in place that will enable Fingal County Council to delivery 862 affordable purchase and cost rental homes with the support of the Affordable Housing Fund by 2027. 279 affordable purchase homes have been delivered up to and including quarter 3 2024.
In addition, other measures such as the First Home Scheme, the Local Authority Home Loan, the Local Authority Purchase and Renovation Scheme, the Help to Buy Incentive, and the Vacant Property Refurbishment Grant are also available to help make home ownership more affordable.
Affordable housing schemes are now operating at scale and this momentum will continue as the pipeline is developed by local authorities, Approved Housing Bodies and the Land Development Agency in coordination with the Department, the Housing Agency and the Housing Delivery Co-ordination Office of the Local Government Management Association.
243. Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if the 59 apartments at Clonsilla Lodge will be for private purchase, built to rent, cost rental, social housing, approved housing bodies or affordable purchase. [6944/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department operates a number of funding programmes that assist Local Authorities to work in partnership with Approved Housing Bodies (AHBs) to construct and purchase homes and make them available for Social Housing.
The Capital Advance Leasing Facility (CALF) is a funding stream exclusively provided to AHBs by local authorities to facilitate the funding of construction, acquisition or refurbishment of new social housing units. This loan facility can support between 25% and 30% of the eligible capital cost of the housing project, with the remaining finance sourced by the AHBs from private lenders (usually the HFA) with the housing units provided to local authorities for social housing use under long-term lease arrangements known as Payment and Availability Agreements (P&A).
Applications for P&A-CALF funding is made by AHBs directly to my Department. This is done following a consultation period with the Local Authority. During this period the Local Authority confirms their support for the proposed homes and agrees the need and the terms and conditions of the availability agreement around the homes.
A P&A - CALF application was made by Oaklee Housing on 5 February 2025 and supported by Fingal County Council for 57 properties at The Lodge, Clonsilla Road, Clonsilla, Dublin 15.
As with all Exchequer-supported projects, my Department as sanctioning authority, assesses each project proposal for suitability as determined by the Local Authority, value for money and compliance with the various requirements of the funding programme.
244. Deputy Keira Keogh asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of social houses set to come on stream within the next five years in each electoral area in Mayo; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6945/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department publishes the Social Housing Construction Status Report (CSR), which provides details of social housing developments and their location that have been completed, are under construction or are progressing through the various stages of the design and tender processes.The most recent publication was for Quarter 3 2024 and it shows that there were 543 social homes on site and at various stages of design and procurement in Mayo at the end Quarter 3 2024. All Construction Status Reports are available at the following link: www.gov.ie/en/collection/cb885-social-housing-construction-projects-status-reports/A version of the CSR file can also be downloaded for analysis by local authority, location etc. at this link: data.gov.ie/dataset/social-housing-construction-status-report-q3-2024
Under Housing for All, each local authority was required to prepare a Housing Delivery Action Plan. This Plan sets 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. Mayo County Council's Plan has been published on their own website at the following link: www.mayo.ie/en-ie/your-council/services/housing-services/social-housing/housing-delivery-action-plan
Last November the Government approved new national housing targets up to the year 2030. 303,000 homes will be delivered in the period from 2025 to 2030, equating to an annual average of 50,500 homes, building up to 60,000 in 2030. The revised targets were informed by research and modelling by the Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI) on population projections and long-run housing demand, which was published during the summer.
The revised national housing targets will inform the revision to existing social housing targets in County Mayo. Work is ongoing in this regard.
245. Deputy Keira Keogh asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the status of the position on the provision of affordable housing in each electoral area in Mayo; the number of affordable houses proposed for each electoral area; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6946/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraAffordability and the chance to own a home is at the heart of the Government’s housing policy.
All local authorities, including Mayo County Council, have prepared a Housing Delivery Action Plan which sets information on their intended social and affordable housing delivery over the period 2022-2026, in line with targets set under Housing for All. The Plans have been published on local authority websites and Mayo's Plan can be accessed at the following link: www.mayo.ie/en-ie/your-council/services/housing-services/social-housing/housing-delivery-action-plan.
Statistical reports detailing affordable housing delivery within each local authority area by all delivery partners during 2022, 2023 and for the first three quarters of 2024 are available on my Department's website at the following link - www.gov.ie/en/collection/6060e-overall-social-housing-provision/#affordable-housing-delivery
In terms of affordable housing, Mayo does not have a specific affordability target but has identified localised need, i.e. new households being formed unable to access housing for purchase or rent at prices/rents affordable to them, and is developing an affordable housing delivery programme to respond appropriately. To date it has received approval for subsidy from the Affordable Housing Fund (AHF) to assist with the delivery of 18 affordable purchase homes at Golf Course Road (5 homes) and at Springfield (13 homes) in Westport.
My Department continues to assist and support Mayo County Council as it develops its affordability programme and is currently liaising with them on a number of further affordable housing schemes which it intends to develop with the assistance of the AHF.
Given the profile of the county, it is expected that the Croí Cónaithe Towns Fund and the Ready to Build serviced sites schemes will also contribute to addressing overall affordability needs in Mayo. Both of these schemes have been advertised by Mayo County Council on its official website.
246. Deputy Keira Keogh asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the timeline and proposed plans or amendments to the Remediation of Dwellings Damaged by the Use of Defective Concrete Blocks Act 2022 concerning the differing entitlements to homeowners under the pyrite remediation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6947/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraThere are currently two separate statutory schemes in existence, supporting the remediation of private dwellings namely, the Pyrite Remediation Scheme (PRS) and the Defective Concrete Blocks (DCB) Grant Scheme.
The PRS relates to pyrite in the floor slab while the DCB relates to dwellings which are damaged due to the use of defective concrete blocks containing excessive amounts of mica or pyrite or such other deleterious materials or combination of deleterious materials.
I understand the question relates to the DCB scheme.
The Remediation of Dwellings Damaged by the Use of Defective Concrete Blocks Act 2022 (the Act) was commenced on 22 June 2023 which contains the enhanced grant scheme and adopted the related Regulations on 29 June 2023.
A review mechanism is provided within the Act, which provides for an increase or decrease the overall grant scheme cap a year after the Act has been commenced by no more than 10%, in accordance with the conditions of Section 11 of the Act.
Following updated cost reports from the Society of Chartered Surveyors Ireland (SCSI) and advice from the Expert Group established to consider the matter, a further increase was provided for on 23 October 2024 through (S.I. 577 of 2024). The Scheme Cap has risen by 10% to €462,000. An increase in the scheme grant rates of between 7.4% and 8.7% that are set out in the 2023 Regulations was also approved on 7 November 2024. (S.I. No. 621 of 2024).
These increases currently apply to eligible relevant owners that are yet to receive a determination in respect of remediation option and grant amount. My Department sought legal advice that confirmed that extending these increases to a wider group of relevant owners requires amending the Act. My Department is currently progressing this matter and will move as expeditiously as possible on implementing this legislative change.
