123. Deputy John Connolly asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the current status of all funding applications made by Galway City Council for the development of affordable housing; the location of each site for which funding is sought; the number of affordable units at each location; the steps involved in the process of approving the funding; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52086/26]

Affordability and the chance to own a home is at the heart of the Government’s housing policy, as embodied within the new housing action plan, Delivering Homes, Building Communities.

The new action plan builds upon the significant progress made under our previous plan Housing for All, with over 22,000 starter home supports having been delivered from 2022 to 2025.

The Affordable Housing Fund is available to assist local authorities in the delivery of starter home solutions, where they identify significant affordability need. In terms of local authority delivery, Galway City Council has received funding approval to enable the delivery of 167 starter homes, with the support of the Affordable Housing Fund, across five schemes. A further scheme is currently under assessment (as is standard protocol), with the potential to deliver an additional 25 starter homes.

The Cost Rental Equity Loan Scheme (CREL) has also contributed to the delivery of starter homes in Galway, with 36 homes have been provided in Galway since its inception in 2021 to the end of 2025 (split between Claí Mór at Old Monivea Road (28) and Letteragh Road in Rahoon (8)). A further 108 CREL homes are due for delivery by the end of 2028, with further details on the location for these to be released closer to the time of delivery, for reasons of commercial sensitivity.

It is also worth noting that the First Home Scheme, which supports first-time buyers in purchasing new houses and apartments in the private market, through the use of an equity share model, is also available to support eligible new home purchasers and has been availed of in the Galway City area.

Additionally, the Vacant Property Refurbishment Grant supports the purchase and refurbishment of vacant and derelict properties.

Both of these schemes have been, and will continue to be, availed of within Galway as an affordable pathway to housing, and in the case of the Vacant Property Refurbishment Grant, as a valuable support in the tackling of the serious problem of vacancy and dereliction.

My Department, along with the Housing Agency and the Housing Delivery Co-ordination Office of the Local Government Management Association, continues to be available to advise and support all local authorities in providing starter home solutions that will respond effectively to identified affordability needs in their areas.