Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 24 June 2025
512. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of affordable housing targets set for each county over the next five years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33886/25]
Amharc ar fhreagra513. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of affordable housing targets set for each county municipal area-town in county Mayo over the next five years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33887/25]
Amharc ar fhreagra514. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the current criteria for eligibility for affordable housing nationally; and if he will provide specific detail on the criteria applicable in County Mayo. [33888/25]
Amharc ar fhreagra515. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the basis on which areas are deemed eligible for affordable housing; the methodology of calculation used to determine such eligibility; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33889/25]
Amharc ar fhreagra516. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage his views on the current process for the development and delivery of affordable housing schemes in County Mayo. [33890/25]
Amharc ar fhreagra517. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage whether it is a requirement that only projects which have full planning permission and are shovel-ready may apply for affordable housing schemes; if so, whether consideration has been given to supporting earlier-stage proposals to give greater confidence to developers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33891/25]
Amharc ar fhreagra518. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the reason the Claremorris municipal area and the Ballina municipal area are currently ineligible for affordable housing schemes; and if there are plans to revise the eligibility criteria to include these areas. [33892/25]
Amharc ar fhreagra520. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will publish the affordability assessments or data used to determine eligibility for affordable housing in specific counties or municipal areas, including County Mayo; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33894/25]
Amharc ar fhreagra521. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage whether there is scope for a more flexible or locally informed approach to determining eligibility for affordable housing schemes, particularly in rural or smaller urban areas; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33895/25]
Amharc ar fhreagra522. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the means by which local authorities can appeal or challenge the exclusion of specific areas from affordable housing schemes; and whether a review process is in place for this purpose. [33896/25]
Amharc ar fhreagra523. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of affordable housing units delivered in each county to date in 2025 under the affordable housing scheme; and if he will provide a breakdown by municipal district. [33897/25]
Amharc ar fhreagra524. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the projected delivery timeline for affordable housing in counties that have not yet had any such schemes approved or commenced; and the steps being taken to ensure balanced regional delivery. [33898/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 512 to 518, inclusive, and Questions Nos. 520 to 524, inclusive, together.
Affordability and the chance to own a home are at the heart of the Government’s housing policy. As detailed in the Housing for All strategy, the Government has introduced a number of measures to support households and individuals wishing to purchase a home, as well as increasing the overall supply of new homes, with an ambitious target of 300,000 new homes up to 2030.
It will be a matter for each local authority, including Mayo County Council, to prepare a revised Housing Delivery Action Plan which will detail their intended social and affordable housing delivery programme over the period 2026-2030, informed by their assessment of new housing need having conducted a Housing Need and Demand Assessment.
All local authorities, including Mayo County Council, have developed and published their Housing Delivery Action Plans setting out their plans to deliver social and affordable housing during the period from 2022-2026. A copy of Mayo County Council’s Housing Delivery Action Plan is available on its website at the following link:
www.mayo.ie/en-ie/your-council/services/housing-services/social-housing/housing-delivery-action-plan
While Mayo does not have a specific affordability target, it has identified localised affordability need in key urban locations where new households being formed would not be able to access housing for purchase or rent at prices/rents affordable to them.
The Affordable Housing Fund (AHF) is open on a continuous basis and available to support all local authorities to address any affordability needs identified in their area. Circular 23/2021 issued to all local authorities on 25 June 2021 and provides guidance on preparing an application for AHF assistance, including an overview of the marking matrix used to assess applications. Circular 06/2023, which issued to all local authorities on 21 February 2023, provides further guidance to local authorities such as Mayo where localised need with affordability constraint has been identified.
My Department has been liaising with Mayo in the development of its affordable housing delivery programme to respond appropriately to identified need in its area. To date it has received funding approval from the AHF to assist in the delivery of 18 affordable homes across two affordable purchase schemes in Westport, where Mayo County Council has demonstrated a sufficient new housing need with affordability constraint and submitted funding applications which met the criteria for the AHF scheme.
My Department, along with the Housing Agency and the Housing Delivery Coordination Office of the Local Government Management Agency will continue to advise and support Mayo in respect of its planned response to affordable housing needs in all key urban location within its area. The emphasis is on proactively collaborating to identify, develop and deliver viable affordable housing opportunities.
Ultimately, the viability of a housing project is assured when planning permission is secure and costs following procurement are known. Approval-in-principle may be given pending the outcome of planning and procurement. Projects which involve challenging circumstances which means they are unlikely to succeed can also be resubmitted for consideration where a resolution has been found.
The Local Authority Affordable Purchase Scheme (LAAPS) was introduced to assist first-time buyers purchasing Local Authority-delivered new homes. This scheme uses an equity share model to give eligible purchasers the opportunity of home ownership. The assessment of eligibility and the level of support available is household-specific, so purchasers are only supported when they need this assistance to afford the home.
The same overall eligibility criteria apply for all persons applying for a Local Authority Affordable Purchase Scheme nationwide, including for those applying under the fresh start principle. Section 10 of the Affordable Housing Act 2021 outlines this overall criteria for eligibility, which include confirmation of the combined financial means of the applicants; that none of the persons making the application has previously purchased or built a dwelling; that none of the persons making the application owns, or is beneficially entitled to an estate or interest in any dwelling; and that each of the persons making the application has a right to reside in the State.
Eligibility under Section 10 of the Act is further set out in the S.I. No. 20/2023 – Affordable Housing Regulations 2023 and S.I. No. 21/2023 Affordable Housing Regulations 2023. This includes the provision that the equity share required cannot be less than 5% and not greater than 40% of the market value of the dwelling concerned.
In line with Part 2 of the Affordable Housing Act 2021 the administration of affordable purchase housing schemes is a matter for each local authority who will have the specific information sought relating to the delivery of affordable homes by municipal district in their functional area.
Affordable Housing statistical reports are based on the delivery of affordable homes which have been completed and publicly advertised to eligible affordable housing applicants. Comprehensive programme-level statistics are published by my Department on affordable housing delivery activity by local authorities and delivery partners in each local authority area.
Data for the years 2022 to 2024 inclusive is published 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
Given the rural profile of County Mayo, it is worth noting that the Ready to Build serviced sites scheme is available which supports local authorities to provide sites at a discount to people who want to build their own home. Further information with regard to the scheme is available on my Department's website at the following link: www.gov.ie/en/publication/33209-ready-to-build-scheme-serviced-sites-for-new-homes/ or by contacting directly the Vacant Homes officer at Mayo County Council.
Finally, the First Home Scheme supports first-time buyers in purchasing new homes on the private market through the use of an equity share model, similar to that employed in the Local Authority Affordable Purchase Scheme. The Scheme is supported with an overall budget of €740 million and is available nationwide.
