Housing, Local Government and Heritage | To ask the Minister for Housing; Local Government and Heritage the extent to which it is expected to address the large numbers of applicants for local authority houses currently on waiting lists over the next three years

To ask the Minister for Housing; Local Government and Heritage the extent to which it is expected to address the large numbers of applicants for local authority houses currently on waiting lists over the next three years; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

REPLY

The Housing for All strategy is the Government’s plan to increase the supply of housing to an average of 33,000 per year over the next decade, including an average of 10,000 social homes per annum from 2022-2030. Housing for All is supported by an investment package of over €4b per annum, through an overall combination of €12bn in direct Exchequer funding, €3.5bn in funding through the Land Development Agency and €5bn in funding through the Housing Finance Agency.

Under Housing for All, the Government will deliver 47,600 new build social homes and 3,500 social homes through long-term leasing in the period 2022-2026. This includes a target to deliver 28,400 new build social homes and 2,200 homes delivered through long-term leasing from 2022-2024. I have issued social housing targets to each local authority for the period 2022-2026.

Additional funding will also be provided to support households on social housing waiting lists to secure a tenancy, supported by the Housing Assistance Payment, while we increase the supply of housing stock managed by local authorities and Approved Housing Bodies.