Pauline Tully (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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75. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the actions he has taken to reduce the housing waiting list in Cavan; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36994/24]

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail)
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Housing for All is the Government’s plan to increase the supply of housing to an average of 33,000 per year over the next decade. This includes an average of 10,000 new build social homes each year in the period to 2030. Housing for All is supported by an investment package of over €4bn per annum, through an overall combination of €12bn in direct Exchequer funding, €3.5bn in funding through the Land Development Agency and €5bn funding through the Housing Finance Agency.

Under Housing for All, the Government will deliver 47,600 new build social homes; 3,500 social homes through long-term leasing and 28,500 new affordable homes in the period 2022-2026. Increased delivery of social housing is a key Housing for All objective and is supported through a range of funding streams delivered via local authorities and Approved Housing Bodies (AHBs). The number of completed new build social homes, and the number in the pipeline, continues to grow year-on-year, with new construction projects added to the pipeline regularly.

Housing for All required each local authority to prepare a Housing Delivery Action Plan to address social and affordable housing needs in their areas over the period 2022-2026, in line with targets set under Housing for All. The Plans include details of planned local authority, AHB and Part V delivery for social housing schemes. The Plans do not include additional affordable homes that will be delivered by the LDA, AHBs, First Home and via the higher Part V requirements introduced in the Affordable Housing Act 2021. A copy of each local authority's Housing Delivery Action Plan is available on their websites.

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.

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/

A version of the CSR file can also be downloaded for analysis by local authority at the link below: www.gov.ie/en/publication/cbe5c-social-housing-construction-projects-status-report-q1-2024/

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail)
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76. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the measures he is taking on social and affordable housing in Carlow; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36712/24]

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail)
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81. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the impact of Housing for All in Carlow since its launch; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36711/24]

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 76 and 81 together.

Housing for All, the most ambitious and comprehensive housing plan in the history of our State, was published in September 2021. The Plan contains a suite of actions that have and 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 Q2 2024 inclusive. In relation to housing commencements in Carlow, building began on 944 homes between September 2021 and July 2024 inclusive, with 691 of these commencing since the start of 2023.

Following the publication of Housing for All in September 2021, I asked all local authorities to prepare Housing Delivery Action Plans. These Plans detail the 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 Q1 2024, Housing for All has delivered 551 social homes in Carlow through build, acquisition and lease. The Construction Status Report shows there were 17 schemes of 195 homes on site in Carlow at the end of Quarter 1 2024, with a further 4 schemes of 37 homes at various stages of design and procurement.

Furthermore, a total of 42 affordable housing solutions have been delivered in Carlow through the First Home Scheme, Cost Rental Tenant in Situ Scheme, Local Authority Affordable Purchase, and the Vacant Property Refurbishment Grant. Full delivery statistics are published on my Department's website: www.gov.ie/en/collection/6060e-overall-social-housing-provision/#affordable-housing-delivery

My Department is available to meet with Carlow County Council to discuss their affordable housing pipeline with assistance of the Housing Delivery Co-ordination Office within the Local Government Management Association. I have also sanctioned two additional staff to support the delivery of affordable housing in Carlow, which I expect will assist Carlow County Council to develop their affordable housing pipeline.

In addition, the First Home Scheme, launched in July 2022, supports first-time buyers in purchasing new houses and apartments in the private market through the use of an equity share model. Full information on the scheme is available on the First Home Scheme dedicated website, www.firsthomescheme.ie. Statistical data on delivery across all affordable housing streams during 2022, as published on my Department's website last month, shows that activity has begun to take place under this scheme for Carlow and is available at the following link: www.gov.ie/en/collection/6060e-overall-social-housing-provision/#affordable-housing-delivery.

The new Vacant Property Refurbishment Grant is also available in Carlow and it provides for grants for refurbishment of vacant properties of up to €50,000 or €70,000 if the property is derelict. I also announced last year, a new Ready to Build serviced sites scheme under the Fund where local authorities will provide sites at a discount to people who want to build their own home. Information on both of these schemes is available directly from Carlow County Council.

A successful application under Call 2 of the Urban Regeneration and Development Fund, over €17m is currently allocated to Carlow County Council to help 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 sustained, positive impact across the country. The Plan will continue to deliver nationally for years to come including for the people of Carlow.

Cian O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay North, Social Democrats)
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77. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government if he will ensure that approved housing bodies can access early-stage finance to get affordable purchase housing projects off the ground; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36997/24]

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail)
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The Government has targeted delivery of 54,000 affordable homes between now and 2030, to be facilitated by local authorities, Approved Housing Bodies, the Land Development Agency and via the First Home scheme, a strategic partnership between the State and retail banks.

In the case of the Local Authority Affordable Purchase scheme, the Affordable Housing Fund is available to local authorities as a direct subvention towards the development costs of providing affordable houses. Subsidy of €50,000 - €100,000 per affordable housing unit is available to affordable purchase schemes, depending on the density of housing units per hectare on the development. A higher funding threshold of €150,000 applies to higher density cost rental homes in city areas only.

Local authorities may undertake affordable purchase schemes in conjunction with other delivery partners, including Approved Housing Bodies, the Land Development Agency, or private contractors. Funding arrangements, including the scheduling of payments, will be subject to a contractual agreement entered into between the parties i.e. the local authority as client and the Approved Housing Body or other agency as contractor.

In accordance with Part 2 of the Affordable Housing Act 2021 the administration of Affordable Purchase schemes is a matter for local authorities.

My role as Minister is to ensure that the policy, legislative and funding arrangements necessary to underpin the delivery of affordable purchase schemes to eligible applicant households are in place, and to ensure appropriate monitoring and oversight in relation to Exchequer funding provided through the Affordable Housing Fund.