Alan Dillon
Question:220. Deputy Alan Dillon asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the main policy achievements of his Department in 2023; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54291/23]
View answerThursday, 7 December 2023
Questions (220)
Written answers
The Programme for Government, Our Shared Future, is the foundation for my Department's main policy initiatives. My Department has commitments across 10 of the 12 Missions in the Programme. My Department's Statement of Strategy 2023-2025 was published in August of this year and sets out our strategic goals, objectives and actions for the period ahead. It is available on my Department's website at the following link www.gov.ie/en/publication/3be76-statement-of-strategy-2023-2025/.
My Department's website, www.gov.ie/en/organisation/department-of-housing-local-government-and-heritage, is a good source of information about activities and initiatives undertaken, but by way of illustration, some of the key actions delivered in 2023 include:
• the continued progression of initiatives under the Governments 'Housing for All - a new Housing Plan for Ireland’;
• the launch of a new Vacant Homes Action Plan, including a fund of €150 million for local authorities, outlining measures introduced to address vacancy;
• targets for the Vacant Property Refurbishment Grant, a Croí Cónaithe initiative, were doubled to 4,000 homes by 2025;
• under the Croí Cónaithe (Cities) Scheme, a third development of owner occupier apartments has received approval. The scheme aims to bridge the current ‘viability gap’ between the cost of building apartments and the market sale price where the cost of building is greater;
• the publication of the ‘Roadmap for increased adoption of Modern Methods of Construction in Public Housing delivery’, a priority action under Housing for All;
• the publication of the draft Sustainable and Compact Settlements Guidelines for Planning Authorities, providing updated guidance to facilitate compact growth and innovative housing types, informed by the Housing Needs Demand Assessment Tool (HNDA);
• increase of eligibility criteria for the Local Authority Home Loan;
• an increased budget to support local authority homeless programmes;
• the commencement of the enhanced Defective Concrete Blocks Grant Scheme;
• the preparation of legislation for a Residential Zoned Land Tax (RZLT) to commence in 2024;
• all local authorities published RZLT maps, identifying lands subject to the tax on 01 December;
• commencement of the process to revise the National Planning Framework;
• the publication of the Planning and Development Bill 2023 which will ensure that the planning system meets the needs of the people of Ireland;
• the enactment of the Wildlife (Amendment) Act 2023 which will require all public service bodies to integrate biodiversity into plans, policies and programmes;
• the development of the 4th National Biodiversity Action Plan;
• the publication of the National Parks and Wildlife Service Strategic Plan 2023-2025;
• enactment of the Historic and Archaeological Heritage and Miscellaneous Provisions Act 2023;
• the publication of the Local Government (Mayor of Limerick) Bill 2023, providing for the establishment of an office of mayor for the administrative area of Limerick City and County Council;
• establishment of the Electoral Commission following the enactment of the Electoral Reform Act 2022;
• the establishment of the Maritime Area Regulatory Authority (MARA);
• the establishment of Tailte Éireann;
• the announcement of €14.7 million for the resolution of developer provided water services infrastructure in 21 projects in housing estates, under the multi-annual fund to connect developer provided water services to public Uisce Éireann network.
The Departments high level activity, with respect to the Statement of Strategy, is documented in its Annual Reports, which can be found at gov.ie - Annual Reports (www.gov.ie).
Regular updates, in the form of press releases, are also issued by my Department, particularly when outcomes are achieved, and these can be found at www.gov.ie/en/search/?type=press_releases&organisation=department-of-housing-local-government-and-heritage
As a whole-of-government approach has been adopted to the implementation of Housing for All, Housing for All updates and progress reports are being coordinated and overseen by the Department of the Taoiseach, in close cooperation with my Department. These can be found at www.gov.ie/en/campaigns/dfc50-housing-for-all/.