Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 1 October 2026
122. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of affordable houses that have been delivered in County Meath in 2025 and to date in 2026; and his plans to increase the amount of affordable housing in County Meath. [67875/26]
View answer156. Deputy Aisling Dempsey asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage for an update on the delivery of affordable purchase and cost-rental homes in County Meath; and the opportunities he sees to build on that progress in towns such as Navan and Trim. [69086/26]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 122 and 156 together.
Affordability and the chance to own a home is at the heart of the Government’s housing policy, as embodied within the housing action plan Delivering Homes, Building Communities 2025 - 2030. This action plan reinforces and expands the range of existing measures being implemented by the Government to tackle the issues of supply and affordability, thereby supporting the increased provision of new homes to purchase and rent.
Over 1,260 starter home supports have been delivered in Meath to the end of Q1 2026, through the Affordable Purchase scheme (107 homes), the First Home scheme (880 homes), the Vacant Properties Refurbishment Grant (118 homes), the Cost Rental scheme (via Approved Housing Bodies - 154 homes), and the Cost Rental Tenant in Situ scheme (6 homes).
Meath County Council has received funding approval to deliver 330 new homes for purchase across 19 schemes, supported by the Affordable Housing Fund, to end 2027. By the end of Q1 2026, 92 of these homes had already been delivered.
A further three schemes are currently under assessment, with the potential to deliver an additional 8 new homes for purchase.
In addition, 8 projects have been approved to date under the Cost Rental Equity Loan (CREL) scheme in County Meath, with 154 Cost Rental homes delivered to date, and a further 164 expected to be delivered by the end of 2028.
In order to further drive the delivery of Starter Homes under the new action plan, local authorities, including Meath County Council, have commenced 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 are progressing at local authority level and are expected to be published by local authorities in November.
In addition, to further support the output of Starter Homes in Meath, my Department is funding 5 additional affordable housing administrative and technical staffing posts, within Meath County Council.
