Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 22 October 2024
425. Deputy Réada Cronin asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage his plans to improve the availability of affordable housing in County Kildare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42567/24]
Amharc ar fhreagra463. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage his target for the delivery of affordable homes in Monaghan in 2025; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43232/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 425 and 463 together.
The Affordable Housing Act 2021 established a framework to make affordable housing available, setting up affordable purchase and cost rental schemes for delivery by key partners.
As regards local authority delivery, funding approvals are now in place to support the delivery of over 4,300 affordable homes by 21 local authorities with subsidy from the Affordable Housing Fund. The legislative framework and arrangements in place to support the affordable housing schemes are proving effective.
In implementing the objectives of Housing for All, each local authority, including both Kildare and Monaghan, has prepared and published a Housing Delivery Action Plan in respect of local authority supported or overseen delivery from 2022 to 2026.
18 local authorities with a strong and identified affordable housing need, including Kildare County Council, were asked to include assessed affordable housing need and planned affordable housing delivery in their Action Plans and are subject to an individual five-year Affordable Housing delivery target.
Whether or not an affordable housing delivery target has been set, subsidy from the Affordable Housing Fund is available to assist all local authorities, including Monaghan, in responding effectively to localised affordability needs i.e. where some new households being formed are identified as not being able to access housing for purchase or rent at prices/rents affordable to them.
My Department, in conjunction with the Housing Delivery Co-ordination Office of the Local Government Management Association and the Housing Agency, is available to advise and support local authorities in responding effectively to localised affordability needs.
Kildare has already successfully delivered 19 affordable purchase homes at Grey Abbey, Kildare with the support of the Affordable Housing Fund.
Department officials met recently with the Monaghan County Council housing delivery team to outline how the Affordable Housing Fund is available to address such needs where identified.
The First Home scheme is also available and actively supporting affordable home purchase nationwide. To date, First Home has delivered affordable home ownership solutions to 680 eligible persons in Kildare and to 15 eligible persons in Monaghan. As housing supply increases and the choice of homes available improves I expect First Home to expand and grow in both counties in the coming years.
The Croí Cónaithe Towns schemes, which includes the Vacant Property Refurbishment Grant and the Ready to Build Scheme, is also contributing to addressing the needs of affordably constrained purchasers in both counties.
331 cost rental units have also been delivered to date in Kildare by Approved Housing Bodies and the Land Development Agency.
The Land Development Agency is also tasked with developing social and affordable homes on over 30 state land sites, including the Devoy Barracks site at Naas, where construction of housing commenced in December 2023. 219 homes in total are expected to be delivered over two phases in Q4 2025 and Q4 2026.
My Department publishes affordable housing delivery reports based on quarterly returns received from all local authorities. These reports are available on the statistics page of my Department’s website at the following link: www.gov.ie/en/collection/6060e-overall-social-housing-provision/?#affordable-housing-delivery
