Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 18 March 2026
1014. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage his plans to provide affordable housing in Killarney, County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18695/26]
View answerAffordability 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. The plan reinforces and expands the range of existing measures being implemented by Government to tackle the issues of supply and affordability, under a new Starter Homes Programme, which will deliver an average of 15,000 affordable housing supports annually to 2030.
In order to further drive the delivery of affordable housing under the new plan, local authorities will shortly commence the preparation of new Housing Delivery Action Plans (HDAPs), for review by my Department, setting out how the Starter Homes Programme will be implemented within their area. These plans will be completed and published by local authorities in 2026.
My Department also publishes comprehensive programme level statistics on a quarterly basis on affordable housing delivery activity by local authorities and other delivery partners. Delivery data from 2022 up to end Q3 2025 is currently available on the statistics page of my Department’s website, at the following link: www.gov.ie/en/collection/6060e-overall-social-housing-provision/.
The published data shows that 121 affordable housing solutions have been delivered in Kerry during the reporting period, including 101 vacant property refurbishment grants and 16 First Home scheme approvals.
In addition, the Affordable Housing Fund (AHF) is available to all local authorities, including Kerry County Council, to assist towards the cost of developing affordable housing at locations where significant affordability needs have been identified.
My Department, the Housing Agency and Housing Delivery Co-ordination Office of the Local Government Management Association continues to be available to assist Kerry County Council to develop an affordable delivery programme that will continue to respond effectively to identified localised affordablity needs in key urban locations such as Killarney and Tralee, including where appropriate affordable purchase homes that may be delivered with the support of the AHF and Part V planning obligations.
