Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 18 November 2025
670. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the share of new social housing units completed in 2023 and 2024 that meet universal design standards; the expected rate of compliance to 2030; and whether the Department plans to increase universal design requirements. [63947/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department publishes comprehensive programme-level statistics on a quarterly basis on social and affordable housing delivery activity by local authorities and Approved Housing Bodies (AHBs) in each local authority. This data is available to the end of Q2 2025 and 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/.
My Department also publishes the Social Housing Construction Status Report (CSR), which provides details of social housing developments and their location that have been completed, are under construction or are progressing through the various stages of the design and tender processes. The most recent publication was for Quarter 2 2025. All CSRs are available at the following link: www.gov.ie/en/collection/cb885-social-housing-construction-projects-status-reports/.
A version of the CSR file can also be downloaded for analysis by local authority, location etc. at this link: https://opendata.housing.gov.ie/dataset/social-housing-construction-status-report-q2-2025.
My Department does not collate data on the number of social homes delivered to universal design standards.
Delivering Homes, Building Communities, published 13 November 2025 commits to ensuring that the increased supply of social homes includes homes that reflect universal design principles, fostering inclusivity.
My Department jointly published the National Housing Strategy for Disabled People 2022-2027 and Implementation Plan with the Department of Health and the Department of Children, Disability, and Equality. The Strategy and Implementation Plan may be accessed on my Department’s website at the following link: www.gov.ie/en/publication/60d76-national-housing-strategy-for-disabled-people-2022-2027/. The Strategy and Implementation Plan sets out the actions to achieve the vision of the joint Strategy for delivering housing and related supports for disabled people to 2027 operating under the new housing plan Delivering Homes, Building Communities.
Separately, my Department published a Design Manual for Quality Housing which is available on my Department’s website at the following link: www.gov.ie/en/publication/b3e02-design-manual-for-quality-housing/. The Manual is intended to guide local authorities and Approved Housing Bodies, and their consultants, on the design of social housing including the internal layouts of individual social homes. The manual includes guidance on the approach to ‘Housing for People with Disability’ (Section 5.3.2) and specific design approaches developed with the input of the Centre for Excellence in Universal Design. My Department is encouraging all local authorities and Approved Housing Bodies to utilise this Design Manual as the best way to ensure funding support for the wide range of housing situations that can arise.
Local authorities play a key role in the planning and provision of social housing in their areas, and decide on the number and types of dwellings to provide, based on identified need.
The National Disability Authority is undertaking an economic and social evaluation of the Universal Design housing model. My Department will consider this analysis when published.
