Carol Nolan (Laois-Offaly, Independent)
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883.To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government if his Department has allocated funds to any local authority specifically to assist with the acquisition and delivery of modular housing units to accommodate persons on the social housing lists; and if he will make a statement on the matter.[35713/24]

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail)
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Modern Methods of Construction (MMC) has been identified as a key measure to address the different housing needs in Ireland and methods to support the development of MMC in Ireland are set out in Housing for All.

In December 2022, funding of €94m was provided to local authorities to address legacy land debts. The provision of this funding was linked to the immediate development of a housing proposal, a commitment to use Modern Methods of Construction (MMC) and for construction to start in 2023 or no later than 2024. A total of 26 sites received funding as part of an accelerated delivery programme, and with some additional sites since added, my Department is overseeing a project to progress delivery of MMC projects on 36 sites which will deliver more than 1,500 new social homes across 13 local authorities.

A Roadmap for MMC has been developed by the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment (DETE) and my Department. The Roadmap was published on the 11 July, 2023. Both Departments worked with the interdepartmental MMC Leadership and Integration Group, which reflects the cross-cutting nature of this work. My Department is working closely with DETE on measures to increase the use of MMC in social housing delivery.

In line with Milestone 3 of the Roadmap; “Pilot project initiated to deliver social, or affordable, housing using a 3D volumetric system (MMC Category 1)” and Action 62 of the Housing for All Action Plan Update & Q3 2023 Progress Report, two pilot projects, utilising offsite three dimensional construction methods, have been initiated. Both are local authority led social housing projects with one in Carlow and the other in Wexford. My Department has facilitated meetings with Wexford County Council, Carlow County Council, the Housing Delivery Coordination Office, and the Housing Agency to promote collaboration, facilitate knowledge sharing and identify items of concern

My Department publishes the Social Housing Construction Status Report (CSR). The CSR 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. This includes details of which local authority or AHB delivered or is delivering the development. The most recent publication was for Quarter 1 2024. All Construction Status Reports are available at the following link: www.gov.ie/en/collection/cb885-social-housing-construction-projects-status-reports/