Malcolm Noonan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Green Party)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 69 and 131 together.

Housing for All, the most ambitious housing plan in the history of our State, was published in September 2021. The Plan details a comprehensive suite of actions that has and will continue to increase the provision of housing through accelerating supply and increasing the affordability of homes for our citizens, including those in Carlow.

Data in relation to new dwelling completions is published by the CSO on a quarterly basis. In Carlow, 625 homes have completed between Q4 2021 and Q1 2024 inclusive. In relation to housing commencements in Carlow, building began on 919 homes between September 2021 and April 2024 inclusive, with 556 of these commencing since the start of 2023.

Following the publication of?Housing for All, I asked all local authorities to prepare Housing Delivery Action Plans to address social and affordable housing needs in their areas over the period 2022-2026, in line with targets set in Housing for All. A copy of Carlow County Council’s Housing Delivery Action Plan is available on their website.

My Department publishes comprehensive social and affordable housing statistics on a quarterly basis in all local authority areas. The social housing delivery and pipeline for County Carlow is strong.?From 2021 to 2023, Housing for All has delivered 536 social homes in Carlow through build, acquisition and lease. The Construction Status Report shows there were 14 schemes of 163 homes on site in Carlow at the end of Quarter 4 2023, with a further 4 schemes of 37 homes at various stages of design and procurement. Additionally, to end 2023, 32 affordable housing solutions have been delivered in Carlow with 44 Vacant Property Refurbishment Grant applications approved.?

Under Call 2 of the Urban Regeneration and Development Fund, a preliminary allocation of €17.1 million has been approved to fund the Public Realm and Pedestrian Linkage Proposal for Carlow Town. This proposal, comprising of 6 individual projects, is a continuation from the Carlow Town project under Call 1 which seeks to provide Carlow Town with plentiful, accessible and exciting public spaces. This will improve town centre linkages and increase pedestrian mobility from Potato Market through to Barrack Street with wider connectivity to Carlow College and the Railway Station.

Housing for All is having a tangible impact across the country. The Plan will continue to deliver nationally for years to come including for the people of Carlow.

Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
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71. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government if he will outline the pipeline of projects under Project Tosaigh and under the croí cónaithe cities fund and their capacity to deliver affordable homes for purchase. [24416/24]

Alan Dillon (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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The Land Development Agency was established with a focus on managing the State’s lands to develop new homes and regenerate under-utilised sites. It has also been tasked with unlocking stalled, private, planning-consented developments in the shorter-term through Project Tosaigh, its market engagement initiative.

The LDA are projecting that Project Tosaigh will deliver 5,000 new homes to eligible households by the end of 2026. Close to 2,500 social, affordable purchase or cost rental homes are already either delivered, contracted or approved to proceed within the LDA to date under Project Tosaigh's first phase.

A procurement process to establish framework agreements with a panel of developers under Phase 2 of Project Tosaigh is also underway, with the sites of the first tranche of homes to be delivered to be confirmed once that process concludes, providing additional delivery under Tosaigh.

The Croí Cónaithe (Cities) Scheme supports the provision of apartments for sale to owner occupiers in the heart of our cities. It also supports the government’s aim of compact growth and tackling climate change by providing housing in our urban cores.

Government has allocated some €450m to deliver up to 5,000 apartments for sale to owner occupiers by activating uncommenced planning applications in our cities. To date, five contracts have been signed to deliver 582 apartments. The scheme is now gaining momentum and further agreements are in progress under the initial calls and another call under the scheme will be announced over the Summer.