Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 25 June 2026
103. Deputy Conor D. McGuinness asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage his plans for delivering affordable housing in villages and rural communities in County Waterford such as An Rinn, Ardmore, Lismore, and Bonmahon, that are experiencing pronounced housing pressures and demographic cliff edges, if not addressed. [48180/26]
View answerSupporting home ownership is at the centre of Government’s housing policy and our new Housing Plan, Delivering Homes, Building Communities.
The new housing plan reinforces and expands the range of existing affordable housing 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 affordable housing supports annually to 2030.
Under the new 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 will be completed and published by local authorities later in the year and help determine what is needed and help drive delivery of that out to the end of the decade.
All the while, the Affordable Housing Fund (AHF) is available to all local authorities, including Waterford City and County Council, to assist towards the cost of developing affordable housing at locations where significant affordability needs have been identified. So far, 10 schemes in Waterford have received funding approval under the AHF to support the delivery of over 300 Starter Homes for purchase and 22 cost rental homes.
Furthermore, measures such as the First Home Scheme, the Help-to-Buy Scheme, the Vacant Property Refurbishment Grant and the Ready to Build scheme are also available, including in more rural areas, to help make home ownership more affordable.
My Department, the Housing Agency and Housing Delivery Co-ordination Office of the Local Government Management Association continue to be available to assist Waterford City and Council to develop an affordable delivery programme. They have a common purpose to respond effectively to identified localised affordability needs in key urban locations, including where appropriate local authority affordable homes that may be delivered with the support of the AHF and Part V planning obligations.
