Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 18 December 2025
514. Deputy Seán Ó Fearghaíl asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage for a report on the work of the Housing Activation Office during 2025; his priorities for 2026; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [73544/25]
View answerThe Government, on 29 April 2025, agreed to establish the Housing Activation Office (HAO) within my Department to address the critical need to accelerate housing delivery by coordinating and progressing the key enabling infrastructure required for development.
I have now established this Office and its function is to coordinate and accelerate the delivery of infrastructure projects that are essential to unlock housing sites. The HAO includes experts seconded from Uisce Éireann, ESB Networks, the National Transport Authority, Transport Infrastructure Ireland and the local government sector, who will support the work of the office.
Since its establishment, the HAO has been actively engaging with all local authorities and relevant infrastructure agencies to identify and address barriers to housing delivery.
I will shortly be bringing forward a €1 billion Housing Infrastructure Investment Fund, which will provide targeted investment in enabling infrastructure. This new fund will complement existing investment by Uisce Éireann, ESB Networks and other agencies and will form part of a more coordinated, end-to-end approach to infrastructure delivery for housing. It will also operate alongside existing programmes such as the Local Infrastructure Housing Activation Fund and the Urban Regeneration and Development Fund.
The Office is currently working with local authorities to identify infrastructure projects needed to unlock key housing sites. This work is ongoing and the Office will prepare reports for the Minister in due course as to the information gathered.
