Construction sites to re-open on March 5, says Housing Minister

Closing the sites has meant the delay of up to 800 houses per month, Darragh O'Brien has claimed. 

He said the decision to close sites was not to do with a concern of the safety of sites, but more to do with the wider national effort to limit social contacts amid Covid-19. File Photo: Gareth Chaney/Collins

Construction sites will be allowed to re-open on March 5, Housing Minister Darragh O’Brien has said.

He said the closure of sites means the delay of the delivery of between 700 and 800 homes per month and he wants sites open again as soon as it is safe to do so.

He said the decision to close sites was not to do with a concern of the safety of sites, but more to do with the wider national effort to limit social contacts.

“We are working towards March 5, in terms opening up of the construction site sector, as it can be done safely. The provision of homes and housing is crucially important, essential, in my view,” he said.

The reason that the sector were closed was nothing to do with their own work practices. It was simply to reduce the movement of people. 

"So they've been able to operate safely. They've shown that and I'm more than confident that we will be able to have the sector fully open and open again on March 5, to be able to buy provide those homes that we're talking about."

Mr O’Brien was speaking as approval was given in principle for new cost rental homes. Approval has been given today to three approved housing bodies (AHBs) - Clúid, Respond and Tuath - for a total of 390 cost rental homes.

These developments are spread across Dublin, the Greater Dublin Area and Cork, with precise locations to be published on completion of commercial and contractual arrangements. Subject to the application, the Housing Finance Agency has also made financing of up to €100m available to support schemes approved under this measure, he said.

Today @DarraghOBrienTD approved 390 Cost Rental homes for delivery this year.

Cost Rental homes offer secure tenancies and rents at least 25% below market rates.

This is a new type of affordable housing for Ireland, and many more will follow.

More ▶️ https://t.co/3LGF7rXTxA pic.twitter.com/zkmRWcjwH8

— Department of Housing, Local Government & Heritage (@DeptHousingIRL) February 8, 2021

In Budget 2021, €35m was made available to AHBs to deliver approximately 350 cost rental homes in 2021 at rates which are a minimum 25% below open market values. An additional 50 cost rental homes at Enniskerry Road, Dun Laoighaire Rathdown are also due to be completed this year supported by the Department’s Serviced Sites Fund.

Separately, commenting on the potential of his party sharing power with Sinn Féin into the future, Mr O’Brien said there are “significant differences” between them on policies.

He said Sinn Féin have been opposed to any measure brought forward with regard to affordability and just seem to bring forward some “fantasy type solutions and no real alternative options”.

However, he said things in politics “evolve”.

“Things evolve though, the Taoiseach said that they evolve into the future. If I was to see policy formation changes, of course, but it's four years hence,” he said.