Written answer
Housing Policy
155. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage for an update on plans to step up delivery of affordable purchase properties; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37519/26]
Comment on this
Supporting home ownership is at the centre of Government’s housing policy and our housing plan, Delivering Homes, Building Communities.
The new housing plan reinforces and expands the range of existing affordable housing measures being implemented by the Government. In particular, a new Starter Homes Programme, which is a central component of the plan, aims to deliver an average of 15,000 affordable housing supports annually to 2030, including Starter Purchase Homes.
To underpin the delivery of the Starter Homes Programme, the Government is investing an unprecedented level of funding by way of a package of exchequer funded affordability measures, investment through the Land Development Agency and lending by the Housing Finance Agency.
This expanded delivery will build upon the significant progress already made under our previous plan, Housing for All, with over 2,500 local authority affordable purchase Homes delivered from its launch to the end of 2025. Overall, over 6,450 such homes have been approved for support under the Affordable Housing Fund.
Furthermore, measures such as the First Home Scheme, the Help-to-Buy Scheme, and the Vacant Property Refurbishment Grant are also available to help make home ownership more affordable.
In addition, under the new plan, local authorities will shortly commence the updating of their Housing Delivery Action Plans (HDAPs), for review by my Department, setting out how the Starter Homes Programme will be implemented within their area. Each local authority HDAP will be informed by identifiable affordable housing need within their area and will include collaboration with their delivery partners, including the Land Development Agency and the Approved Housing Bodies, as applicable. These plans will be completed and published by local authorities by end of Q3 2026.