THE GOVERNMENT’S NEW long-awaited new housing plan has been signed off by the Cabinet’s subcommittee on housing this evening. 

The plan will go to Cabinet for approval on Wednesday with the full details to be launched on Thursday.

The government is targeting the delivery of 12,000 new social homes each year, a slight increase on its previous targets. Construction and an acceleration of infrastructure for urban towns, such as Adamstown and Clonburris, is also part of the plan. 

The Taoiseach has been vocal about the government wanting to tackle the rising numbers of people in homelessness.

Micheál Martin said previously that the most effective way to get people out of homelessness is through social housing, stating that expansion of schemes like Housing First, which provides housing and direct supports to people in long-term homelessness, is on the cards. 

Domestic violence victims

One notable measure in the new plan includes a move to ensure there is no barrier to a household fleeing domestic violence.

A protocol will be agreed with local authorities to provide that victims of domestic violence, subject to meeting all other social housing eligibility requirements, can transfer previous time spent on a social housing waiting list to another local authority

It is understood that women were getting stuck in the county with their abuser due to the way the system was set up in terms of the time on the housing list.

The State’s Land Development Agency is understood to be getting an expanded role in order to drive the delivery of more starter homes.

One of the Housing Commission recommendations was to boost the conversion of vacant commercial properties into housing (and underutilised business parks).

The government announced in this year’s budget that it plans to revamp the derelict site tax to a derelict property tax, but it will take time to roll out. Housing Minister James Browne has said recently he is declaring a war on dereliction. 

As such, the plan is set to include a greater use of compulsory purchase orders of derelict properties by local authorities.

The vacant property refurbishment grant is also set to be expanded to bring more vacant and derelict properties into use as homes. This will include additional grant support towards the refurbishment and conversion of ‘above the shop’ vacant floors, for use as homes.

Delayed plan

The delayed plan had been expected to be published in July, however in June the Taoiseach confirmed that the publication would be pushed out until September. Then in September, the media was told it would likely be October. 

Finally, this week, some five months after it was initially meant to be released, the new plan is set to be published this week. 

For those that are waiting for the “radical reset” in housing policy, something the Housing Commission report strongly recommended, they might be waiting. 

Related Reads

Minister pledges to end the housing crisis 'in my term' as sights turn to emergency laws

Why Ireland’s property bidding system drives prices and FOMO - and how it could be fixed

Micheál Martin says Budget won't expand First Home Scheme to cover second-hand homes

Simon Harris said in September that it was the government’s point of view that it had already “started the housing plan”, stating that government has already made a number of key changes to housing policy in recent months.

These include additional funding for Irish Water, changes to the rent pressure zone rules, the publication of the new national planning framework and exemptions to planning permissions that are required for the likes of log cabins.

‘Glossy document’

Harris said government has not been “waiting” around to make announcements, stating that he believes it would have been “offensive to the public” to make them wait for a “glossy document”.

The decision was taken to not hold off on the “big ideas or for a big bang plan”, he said. 

“We have made a number of key decisions… People can agree or disagree with these policy decisions, but we have already made a number of policy decisions”, added Harris. 

He went on to state that the revised Housing for All plan will endeavor to look at the role that each department has to play in relation to the delivery of housing supply.

As the budget has been and gone, this plan will not include changes that come under taxation, such as the Rent Tax Credit, which the government chose not to increase this year. It will also not include changes to the Help-to-Buy Scheme, again, as this would fall under the yearly taxation measures which are announced on Budget day.