Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 22 January 2026
172. Deputy Tony McCormack asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the mechanisms in place for engagement between his Department and local authorities to identify and resolve obstacles to housing delivery; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4949/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraI established the Housing Activation Office (HAO) in my Department to address the critical need to accelerate housing delivery in Ireland. The HAO includes experts seconded from Uisce Éireann, ESB Networks, the National Transport Authority, Transport Infrastructure Ireland and the local government sector, alongside Departmental staff with expertise in planning, project management and administration. Since its establishment, the HAO has undertaken informal and formal engagement with various stakeholders, including formal meetings with the 31 individual local authorities between mid-September and the end of November 2025. In total, approximately eighty meetings have been held with local authorities.
To support and oversee this work, I have convened a new Housing Activation Delivery Group, comprising senior representatives from Government Departments, Local Government and infrastructure agencies, as well as a Housing Activation Industry Group to ensure regular engagement with industry, with the next meetings due to take place on 28 January 2026.
In addition, I launched the first Call of the new Housing Infrastructure Investment Fund (HIIF) on 21 January 2026, inviting applications for grant funding to support direct investment in critical housing infrastructure projects. This initial Call focuses on advanced infrastructure projects that can be delivered in the 2026–2028 timeframe and activate the early delivery of housing. All Local Authorities and the LDA have been invited to submit applications by 27 February 2026.
My Department will continue to develop the HIIF and intends to broaden its scope in 2026 to include a wider range of public and private sector delivery partners. The primary aim is to build a rolling programme of investment that addresses obstacles to the delivery of housing.
The HAO will also continue to work with all relevant stakeholders, including local authorities, to coordinate the delivery of infrastructure projects needed to unlock housing development on sites nationwide.
Government is also investing an unprecedented level of funding to 2030, supporting local authorities and the other delivery partners in the provision of social homes and affordable options to households throughout the State. Government is fully committed to working with all stakeholders to deliver social and affordable homes at scale and to continue accelerating social and affordable housing supply. My Department proactively engages with our delivery partners on an ongoing basis.
As part of my Department’s programme of strategic engagement, we are meeting local authorities on the delivery of 90,000 affordable starter home supports, as set out in the new plan Delivering Homes, Building Communities 2025 – 2030. As part of this engagement, all local authorities will prepare new Housing Delivery Action Plans, replacing plans made under Housing for All. HDAP’s will set out how the Starter Homes Programme will be implemented within each administrative area. This development of HDAP’s will be undertaken in collaboration with delivery partners, including the Land Development Agency and Approved Housing Bodies, and will be informed by local needs, taking account of the requirement to provide the right mix of homes within their area.
