Housing plan 'not outdated' despite inflation and influx of refugees, says O'Brien

The Croí Conaithe Towns Fund aims to create "town centres that function as viable, vibrant and attractive locations for people to live, work and visit"

Housing Minister Darragh O'Brien the Housing for All plan is "flexible", adding that "we deliver more social homes this year than we've done in the year since". File picture

The Housing Minister has denied that the Government's flagship housing plan is outdated in the face of the Ukraine war and last month's census results.

Darragh O'Brien was speaking as the Government published the Housing for All progress report for the second quarter of the year, as well as a new grant which will allow those looking to refurbish a building in a town centre access a grant of €30,000 or €50,000 if the building is derelict.

Asked if the €4bn-a-year Housing For All plan is outdated due to construction inflation and the influx of Ukrainian refugees, Mr O'Brien said that the plan is "flexible".

"To answer the question directly, is that outdated? No. I do not believe so. The plan is flexible as well, and we will add to the plan. And we will do that this year when we deliver more social homes this year than we've done in the year since.

Homes for our friends from Ukraine will be in addition to Housing for All.

"It takes time for a plan to take hold, but there is momentum there."

Mr O'Brien also denied that the Government had made "an each-way bet" on one-off housing. The Croí Conaithe Towns Fund has been launched with the aim of "creating town centres that function as viable, vibrant and attractive locations for people to live, work and visit, while also functioning as the service, social, cultural and recreational hub for the local community".

However, a Department of Public Expenditure report published on Thursday said that a rise in the proportion of rural homes was a risk to compact growth.

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The Build 2022 report said: "In terms of regional development, the share of planning permissions for apartments has increased in Eastern & Midlands (incl. Dublin) region and Southern region. Additionally, in the Eastern & Midlands (excl. Dublin), Northern & Western, and Southern Regions, the proportion of planning permissions for one-off houses has increased. 

"There is a risk that this increasing share may work counter to overall National Planning Framework objectives, particularly compact growth. However, these years were atypical given the impacts of Covid-19 and it remains to be seen whether these trends will persist."

Mr O'Brien said that the grant was evidence of the Government's commitment to compact growth in towns and cities. He said the scheme would be expanded to above-shop living.

"One-off housing of course has a role to play and we will be updating the guidelines on that in the coming weeks."