A MEMO WILL go to Cabinet next week allocating a substantial funding increase towards the delivery of housing, it is understood. 

The additional monies comes alongside the updated National Planning Framework (NPF), which is set to be discussed and cleared at the first Cabinet subcommittee on housing meeting taking place on Monday. 

In November, the government agreed to progress with amendments to the draft revision of the NPF and set out new housing targets of over 300,000 homes by 2030. 

The subcommittee on housing, which is made up of the Taoiseach, Tánaiste, housing minister, finance and public expenditure minister, and other relevant ministers, has been established to ensure a coordinated approach to the implementation of the government’s housing plans. 

The final version of the NPF, which should be cleared by the committee in the coming week, will then proceed to Cabinet for approval over the coming weeks. 

The plan will require the approval of government and both Houses of the Oireachtas.

Speaking during the week, Tánaiste Simon Harris confirmed that government will publish a “revised” Housing for All plan in the near future, though sources state it could be a while off yet. 

The NPF, which has been delayed, will set out the national picture for housing going forward and set out targets for each county. Each local authority is expected to respond as to how they believe their zoning can deliver upon its targets. 

Local authorities received a letter last year from the former housing minister asking them to prepare. 

The new Housing Minister James Browne was told by his department that increased funding is needed to ramp up the delivery of social housing construction. 

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The social housing build target for 2025 is 10,000, but there are concerns that delivery on those numbers could dip. 

Earlier this week, Sinn Féin’s housing spokesperson Eoin Ó Broin wrote to the new housing minister expressing “deep concern” regarding what he claimed are ongoing delays in Department of Housing approval of social and cost rental projects.

He said he is aware from speaking to Approved Housing Bodies (AHBs), councils and developers that there are a significant number projects a departmental approval to proceed.

The additional funding memo comes as the government has faced criticism over proposals to roll out a possible alternative system to the rent pressure zones (RPZs). A report reviewing the scheme will be published before the end of March.