Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 18 December 2025
519. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the average total development cost per dwelling for affordable purchase homes supported under the local authority affordable purchase scheme in Cork city and Cork county for each year since 2023; and to outline the methodology used by his Department to calculate or verify those costs. [73645/25]
View answer520. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage whether his Department requires local authorities to submit detailed cost breakdowns for affordable purchase housing schemes funded under national affordable housing programmes; if so, the nature of those cost breakdowns; and if not, the way in which his Department assures value for money in the delivery of affordable purchase homes. [73646/25]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 519 and 520 together.
The administration of an affordable purchase housing scheme in line with Part 2 of the Affordable Housing Act 2021, is a matter for the local authority concerned. Local authorities, including Cork City and County, are best placed to assist public representatives with any reasonable information requests relating to the average total development costs per dwelling for affordable purchase scheme homes supported under the local authority affordable purchase scheme in their functional area.
Affordability and the chance to own a home is at the heart of Government’s housing policy, as embodied within the new housing plan, Delivering Homes, Building Communities 2025 – 2030. Government is investing an unprecedented level of funding to support housing supply, which will underpin, inter alia, the new Starter Homes Programme, delivering an average of 15,000 affordable housing supports annually to 2030.
Subventions against delivery costs to ensure a lower, upfront affordable purchase price ranging from €50,000 to €150,000 are provided from the AHF, with the Exchequer meeting 95% of the subvention and the remaining 5% coming from a Local Authority contribution. Housing delivery being supported by funding approved originally under the earlier Serviced Sites Fund is also progressing with an 89% Exchequer contribution matched by an 11% Local Authority contribution.
Affordable purchase housing schemes availing of subvention must deliver a minimum upfront affordable sales price that is at least 15% below the market value of the home in order to qualify for AHF support.
Specific delivery costs per unit are variable and can differ having regard to the typology, location and overall layout of the developments in question.
Local authorities complete and submit data returns to my Department on delivery of affordable homes in their area. Statistical data on affordable housing delivery by tenure and by local authority area from 2022 up to and including the second quarter of 2025 is published on my Department's website at the following link: www.gov.ie/en/collection/6060e-overall-social-housing-provision/#affordable-housing-delivery
Individual scheme information is also published in advertisements on local authority websites. Schemes being advertised are now also available in a single location on the Affordable Homes website, www.affordablehomes.ie.
AHF funding approval to date has been given to support the delivery of 5,402 affordable purchase homes at an Exchequer cost of approximately €432m. On this basis the average Exchequer funding support is €80,151 per home.
