Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 27 May 2026
132. Deputy Shónagh Ní Raghallaigh asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage his plans to develop social and affordable homes in Kildare county over the coming year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40479/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraI am pleased to inform that Kildare County Council has a strong social housing pipeline in place with 629 homes at various stages of design and procurement at the end of 2025, including 296 homes on site. Details of the projects in Kildare’s pipeline can be found in the Social Housing Construction Status Report on my Department’s website (www.gov.ie/en/department-of-housing-local-government-and-heritage/collections/social-housing-construction-projects-status-reports/). Kildare’s pipeline builds on its very positive social housing delivery in recent years, which has exceeded its 2022-2025 social housing targets. From 2022 to 2025, Kildare County Council delivered 1,722 new build social homes against a target of 1,619.
Kildare County Council is also showing a strong commitment to developing a detailed starter homes programme in response to identified affordability needs in its area. Kildare County Council’s target is to deliver 226 starter homes from 2022 to 2026. A delivery programme of 227 starter purchase homes is currently in place of which 115 have been delivered up to end 2025. Under the First Homes Scheme, as of end Q1 2026, 1,333 approvals have been issued in Kildare. From 2022 to 2025, CREL has delivered 283 homes in Kildare. A further 74 homes are due for delivery in Kildare by the end of 2026. Kildare has also had two successful applications under the Secure Tenancy Affordable Rental Investment (STAR) Scheme, which will deliver 150 homes. In addition to this, construction is at an advanced stage on the site of the former Devoy Barracks, where the LDA will deliver 219 new homes. Phase 2 of this project has 153 affordable, cost rental and social homes targeted for delivery in 2026.
Under the new housing plan, Kildare County Council will prepare a Housing Delivery Action Plan (HDAP) setting out their planned delivery of social and affordable housing to 2030. In preparing their HDAP, Kildare County Council will reflect local need to ensure the right mix of homes to respond to need and priorities. Existing HDAPs run to the end of 2026 and it is expected that new HDAPs, which will run to 2030, will be in place by the end of Q3 2026. Kildare County Council’s current HDAP is available on their website at the following link kildarecoco.ie/YourCouncil/Publications/Housing/Kildare%20County%20Council%20Housing%20Delivery%20Action%20Plan.pdf
