THE GOVERNMENT HAS announced its new housing plan today after a long wait with an aim to see 300,000 new homes delivered by 2030. 

Today, Housing Minister James Browne told reporters that the Government wants to move away from yearly targets, and that its focus is now on activating supply. 

So with a headline figure of 90,000 new ‘starter homes’ to be delivered over the next four years (homes that the State provides support for through renovation schemes or financial assistance), what does the plan actually mean for people in different income brackets, and housing categories? 

For low and middle-income households 

• The Government has said it is aiming to deliver 12,000 new build social homes on average every year to the end of 2030. 
• It’s also said that the Land Development Agency has had an injection of €2.5 billion in further funding to support the delivery of social and affordable homes. 
• A new performance fund to incentivise Local Authorities to exceed their annual ‘own-build’ social housing targets is also being introduced. 
• A review of the Housing Assistance Payment scheme is also promised. 

For people in homelessness

• €100 million in capital funding is being provided for the acquisition of second-hand properties to support the exit of families longest in homeless emergency accommodation. 
• An action plan to support the needs of children and families experiencing homelessness. 
• A Housing Act amendment is proposed that will ensure the best interests of children are considered when homes are being allocated to families. 
• The Government is also saying that over 2,000 wraparound tenancies will be supported through its Housing First Programme. 
• Local Authorities and Approved Housing Bodies (AHBs) will also get increased capital funding to maintain homeless emergency and transitional accommodation. 

For prospective home owners 

• The Government refers to its plans to increase supply dramatically by 2030, and plans to increase zoned land in every Local Authority in order to meet housing need. 
• The plan also promises that 15,000 affordable home supports will be provided for families, couples and single people, and that these will include: 
• - The First Home scheme, the Help to Buy Scheme, the Starter Home Purchase scheme and the Vacant Property Refurbishment Grant. 
• The Government said that it will also “extend” its First Home and Help to Buy schemes. 
• It’s promising that affordable purchase schemes will be brought forward in all Local Authority areas that don’t have projects in place. 
• The plan also says that 20,000 homes will be brought back into use via the Vacant Property Refurbishment Grant. 

For renters

• The Government said it will deliver “more” Cost Rental Homes at 25% below regular market rents, but the plan doesn’t give specific targets for these. 
• Rent Pressure Zones have been extended to a nationwide rent control system with rent increases capped at 2% (a measure that was already in place). 
• New short-term letting regulations are promised so homes are available for residential use “where the need is greatest”. 
• The Government said that the Rent Tax Credit will be increased in line with Programme for Government commitments (the Government didn’t opt to increase the credit in this year’s budget). 
• A new student accommodation strategy is also to be published. 

For older people, disabled people, and the Traveller community

• The plan promises an action plan to deliver more suitable homes for older people in social and private housing. 
• It also says funding has been secured of €130 million for the enhanced Housing Adaptation Grant for older and disabled people. 
• The Government also states that it will invest €34 million in high quality Traveller accommodation in 2026. 
• A new measure included in the plan will see victims of domestic, sexual and gender-based violence gain the ability to transfer time spent on one social housing waiting list to that of another Local Authority. 

For those in rural towns and villages

• The plan states that the Rural Regeneration and Development Fund will “revitalise” rural towns and villages through planned and sustainable regeneration. 
• It also promises national planning statements for rural housing and housing in Gaeltacht areas. 
• The Government is also planning to leverage Údaras na Gaeltachta and working with Uisce Éireann and Local Authorities to support the building of homes for Irish speaking communities. 
• The Ready to Build scheme will be expanded and will support small to medium-sized builders to develop new mixed tenure communities on serviced sites in towns and villages, the Government plan says.

For those in cities

• The plan says that additional funding will be provided via the Urban Regeneration and Development Fund to allow for investment in social and community facilities in Ireland’s five cities to 2030. 
• It also says the Planning and Development Act will be implemented to ensure timely planning decisions, and that Dublin city and Cork city will get a special purpose vehicle to implement taskforce recomendations and a new taskforce respectively.

For dog and cat lovers 

• The plan also outlines that the Government is planning to move to eliminate ‘blanket bans’ on pets in tenancy agreements, starting with AHB properties. 
• Dog’s Trust has said that the move is an important first step towards ensuring that no one in Ireland has to face the “heartbreaking decision: of giving up a beloved pet to keep a roof over their head. 

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