Housing fast-track funding
Deputy Mattie McGrath challenged the Government on why so few local authorities had applied for fast-track housing funding. The Chair ruled it out of order, but the Tánaiste said house building was increasing and the Minister would reply directly.
Housing is a priority in the programme for Government and we have a housing Minister. The reply to a parliamentary question I tabled about the number of local authorities that have applied for fast-track funding - the one-stage process - was that only two local authorities had applied to build 15 housing units with a value of under €2 million. What is going on?
Comment on this
That is a parliamentary question issue. It is not appropriate to the Order of Business.
Comment on this
It relates to promised legislation and is a keynote of the Government.
Comment on this
It is very appropriate because the programme for Government was built on the housing programme, the homeless and a housing Minister. What is going on with the local authorities and the Department that they cannot get it right? Two local authorities have applied to build 15 housing units when we have a housing crisis.
Comment on this
There was very detailed engagement on a range of issues. A total of 1,250 houses were built last year and there are detailed plans to deliver far more this year. A huge number of houses that were not available before the focus on that with the local authorities and that in the social programme were brought back into use. I will ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government to communicate with the Deputy about that issue but he has already put a parliamentary question on the matter to the Minister.