Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 19 May 2026
197. Deputy Conor Sheehan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to provide a breakdown of the target of the 7,500 affordable purchase and cost rental homes for 2026; the reason only 935 affordable purchase homes were delivered in 2025; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37481/26]
View answerThe new housing plan, Delivering Homes, Building Communities, reinforces and expands the range of existing starter home measures being implemented by the Government. In particular, a new Starter Homes Programme, which is a central component of the plan, aims to deliver an average of 15,000 starter home supports annually to 2030.
To underpin the delivery of this Starter Homes Programme, the Government is investing an unprecedented level of funding, including through a number of important affordability measures, supported by direct Exchequer funding, investment through the Land Development Agency and lending by the Housing Finance Agency.
This expanded delivery, under the new housing plan, will build upon the significant progress already made under our previous plan Housing for All, with over 22,000 starter home supports, excluding the Help to Buy Scheme, having been delivered from its launch to the end of 2025. In 2025, 935 Affordable Purchase Homes were delivered by the local authorities, along with 1,835 First Home Scheme drawdowns, which provided real solutions for individuals and households seeking to purchase an affordable home.
My Department publishes comprehensive programme-level statistics on a quarterly basis for starter home delivery activity by local authority and delivery partners, for each local authority area. Data from 2022 to 2025 is currently published on the statistics page of my Department’s website.
Under the housing action plan, local authorities will shortly commence the updating of their Housing Delivery Action Plans (HDAPs), for review by my Department, setting out how the Starter Homes Programme will be implemented within their area. Each local authority HDAP will be informed by identifiable affordable housing need within their area and will include collaboration with their delivery partners, including the Land Development Agency and the Approved Housing Bodies, as applicable. These plans are expected be completed and published by the local authorities by the end of Q3 2026.
