Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 18 November 2025
538. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to provide the current allocation for housing-linked infrastructure in Cork City and Cork County for 2026, including roads, drainage, water and schools, and to state whether these allocations meet the projected population growth in the region. [63984/25]
Amharc ar fhreagra611. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if his Department has identified any infrastructure gaps in Blarney, Glanmire, Ballyvolane or Blackpool that may delay local delivery under the new housing plan; and if so, to list them. [63859/25]
Amharc ar fhreagra619. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage whether the current water, wastewater, road, and public-transport infrastructure in Cork city and Cork county is sufficient to support the housing targets set for the region under Delivering Homes, Building Communities. [63879/25]
Amharc ar fhreagra629. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the Infrastructure First projects approved for Cork city and Cork county in 2023, 2024, and 2025; the funding allocated; and the expected impact on unlocking housing delivery in each location. [63895/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 538, 611, 619 and 629 together.
I have established a Housing Activation Office in my Department to coordinate and accelerate the delivery of infrastructure projects needed to enable housing development. The Office is actively engaged in identifying barriers to housing delivery and is coordinating with local authorities and infrastructure agencies to address these barriers.
In the coming months I will be bringing forward a €1 billion Housing Infrastructure Investment Fund to support direct investment in housing infrastructure. This new fund will operate alongside existing investment programmes such as the Local Infrastructure Housing Activation Fund and the Urban Regeneration and Development Fund.
Cork City and Cork County Councils, under the Local Infrastructure Housing Activation Fund (LIHAF) have been awarded €45.7m in Government funding to support housing enabling infrastructure projects. These projects will support the delivery of over 3,350 homes in Cork.
Cork has also received substantial support under the Urban Regeneration and Development Fund (URDF). Cork Docklands is the single largest URDF- supported project in the country, with over €350 m allocated. The funding will help to unlock the Docklands’ potential as a vibrant new urban neighbourhood. Further URDF support has been provided under Call 3, with allocations of €6m for Cork City and €8m for Cork County to address vacancy and dereliction.
The Revised National Planning Framework, sets out updated national and regional housing targets to 2040. These targets provide the basis for the local authority Housing Growth Requirements I issued to local authorities in July 2025. These updated growth requirements will be incorporated into local authority development plans to ensure a balanced approach to housing growth across all regions.
While I cannot comment on individual sites in advance of the opening of the Housing Infrastructure Investment fund, the HAO has been working closely with Cork City and Cork County Council, to identify the infrastructure projects needed to unlock key housing sites.
