Catherine Ardagh
Question:178. Deputy Catherine Ardagh asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will report on the Starter Homes Programme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4866/26]
View answerThursday, 22 January 2026
Questions (178, 241)
Catherine Ardagh
Question:241. Deputy Catherine Ardagh asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage his priorities for affordable housing in 2026; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4867/26]
View answerWritten answers
I propose to take Questions Nos. 178 and 241 together.
Affordable housing remains a central priority for this Government. Building on the progress achieved under Housing for All, the new housing plan, Delivering Homes, Building Communities, continues the Government’s focus on significantly increasing the supply of affordable homes for purchase and rent across the country.
The Starter Homes Programme is a key element of the Government’s strategy to improve access to home ownership, particularly for first-time buyers and renters. The programme reinforces the existing affordable supports, including the First Home Scheme and cost-rental delivery, to provide a coherent and effective pathway to home ownership.
Key priorities under the programme include scaling up affordable purchase delivery through local authorities and the Land Development Agency, and expanding cost-rental housing. A strong emphasis will also be placed on the effective use of public lands, reducing delivery costs and supporting local authorities through targeted funding and capacity building. All local authorities are now required to prepare Housing Delivery Action Plans to identify local housing needs and set out clear pathways to delivery for the remainder of the decade. These action plans, which will be developed in the first half of this year, will play an important role in ensuring that affordable housing supply is aligned with demand within local authority areas and are then delivered at pace.
My Department will continue to work closely with local authorities, the other delivery partners, and the construction sector to accelerate affordable housing delivery, thereby ensuring that more people have a realistic opportunity to secure a home they can afford. The focus is on accelerating delivery of affordable housing across the whole of the country to meet needs across our cities, towns and villages, recognising the varying affordability challenge in different parts of the country in order to ensure that people who aspire to home ownership have the opportunity to secure affordable homes