Press release
Housing for All: Plan on track to exceed 2022 target for new homes
From Department of the Taoiseach; Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage
Published on
Last updated on
From Department of the Taoiseach; Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage
Published on
Last updated on
The government today published its first annual update of Housing for All.
Under the plan, supply of new homes is increasing with 20,807 new homes completed in the first three quarters of the year, more than the whole of 2021 (20,560) or any other year since the CSO series began in 2011.
The government is confident that the 2022 Housing for All target of 24,600 new homes will be exceeded.
Homes are being provided in the right places, in line with our compact growth objectives, which are aimed at building sustainable and vibrant communities across the country.
Apartment completions in Q3 2022 increased by over 153% from the same quarter last year, and close to half of new homes completed in the quarter were part of a multi-home development.
Despite the impact of cost inflation and the war in Ukraine, there continues to be a strong pipeline, with building started on almost 21,000 new homes between the months of January and September 2022, and planning permissions granted for 19,837 homes during the first half of the year.
Along with increasing the supply of homes, the government has introduced a range of affordable purchase and rental measures and legislated for long-term reforms of the housing and planning systems.
Significant initiatives introduced since the Plan was published include:
The government acknowledges that there are challenges in the housing market and it is working to address them. In the year since the publication of Housing for All, we have experienced unprecedented difficulties arising from the war in Ukraine, the energy crisis, and rising interest rates.
The updated Plan sets out how the government is responding to these changed circumstances and ensuring focus remains on delivery of homes at scale and speed to resolve the crisis.
It includes new and updated measures which will:
The Plan provides certainty and stability for our citizens and for the many stakeholders who are engaged in the delivery of homes.
Commenting on the publication of the updated Housing for All Action Plan, Taoiseach Micheál Martin said:
“Housing for All provides a comprehensive plan which is working. We are building and delivering increasing numbers of new homes, while fundamentally reforming our system of housing.
"Despite the unprecedented challenges arising from the war in Ukraine, we will exceed the target to deliver 24,600 new homes in 2022. And we have now set out an updated set of actions across multiple departments and agencies to build on the progress to date.”
The Tánaiste Leo Varadkar said:
“This government believes in home ownership. Our absolute focus is on increasing the supply of new homes, as quickly as possible so that this generation has the opportunity to buy or rent at more affordable prices. Before the pandemic, we were building 20,000 new homes per year and that number continues to rise. We are helping the construction industry by encouraging innovation and productivity to boost supply, and ensuring the industry has the workers it needs to get new homes built more quickly and to the highest standard.”
Minister Ryan commented that:
“There are many synergies between Housing for All and our climate objectives. Housing for All will deliver a housing system that is sustainable into the future. To do that we need transport orientated development and compact urban growth. We also need to make efficient use of our existing housing stock. This updated Action Plan ensures that we remain focused on all of these objectives.”
Commenting on the key areas of focus for 2023, the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, Darragh O’Brien, said:
“Housing for All has delivered on a number of measures to make homes more affordable, protect renters, tackle vacancy, and bridge the delivery gap between the cost of construction and market price. But we recognise we must do more to address external challenges and maintain the current momentum to deliver more homes. The updated Action Plan contains new and updated actions to ensure we deliver on the ambition and targets in Housing for All.”
‘Housing for All’ is the government’s housing plan for Ireland to 2030. It can be read at www.gov.ie/housingforall. The plan’s overall objective is: ‘Everyone in the State should have access to a home to purchase or rent at an affordable price, built to a high standard and in the right place, offering a high quality of life.’
‘Housing for All’ contains the following supply targets: