Housing Activation Office (HAO)

The Housing Activation Office is a key Government initiative to speed up homebuilding by removing infrastructure delays.

The HAO brings together experts from:

• Uisce Éireann, ESB Networks, National Transport Authority, and Transport Infrastructure Ireland
• Local authorities and the Department of Housing
• Specialists in planning, project management, and infrastructure delivery

Its role is to coordinate stakeholders, identify infrastructure blockages, and unlock land for housing development, especially in larger towns and cities where homes can be delivered at scale.

• Engages directly with 31 city and county councils to identify barriers.
• Works alongside the Urban Regeneration and Development Fund (URDF) to support sustainable communities.
• Focuses on local infrastructure needs for multiple housing sites.

Delivering Homes, Building Communities 2025–2030 announced the HIIF as a key measure to support the Government’s target to deliver 300,000 homes by the end of 2030. It is managed by the Housing Activation Office (HAO) in the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage.

The Housing Infrastructure Investment Fund (HIIF) is a €1 billion fund that provides direct investment in public infrastructure needed to unlock housing in towns and cities across Ireland.

The Fund provides capital funding for public infrastructure projects that remove critical bottlenecks and enable housing development at scale. It complements investment under the National Development Plan and works alongside other Departmental schemes such as the Urban Regeneration and Development Fund (URDF).

Call 1 is now open from 21 January 2026 for applications from Local Authorities and the Land Development Agency (LDA) with a closing date for receipt by 27th February 2026.

Under Call 1, projects may receive grant funding of up to 100% of eligible project costs to support the delivery of infrastructure projects that can commence construction in 2026 or 2027 and be substantially complete by 2028.

Full details of the scheme can be accessed and downloaded by following this link

Following Call 1, the Department will continue to develop the Housing Infrastructure Investment and intends to broaden the approach in 2026 to include a wider range of delivery approaches, and a broader range of public and private sector delivery partners.

The criteria of the fund are also likely to evolve over time having regard to the infrastructural needs of the country, sectoral capacities to deliver infrastructure and housing, and changes in the broader policy and legislative landscapes nationally and at an EU level. The primary aim is to build a programme of investment with projects at different stages and that addresses obstacles to the delivery of housing.

Details of any future calls and updates to the Fund will be published on this page.

The Housing Activation Delivery Group brings together senior leadership from key government departments and infrastructure agencies to oversee and support the work of the Housing Activation Office. The Group will drive the development and implementation of a coordinated programme of public infrastructure investment to unlock key housing sites across the country.

The Delivery Group will monitor progress, support the delivery of the new Housing Infrastructure Investment Fund under the National Development Plan, and promote accountability and shared responsibility across all partners involved in housing-enabling infrastructure.

The Housing Activation Industry Group provides a structured forum for regular engagement between the Minister and industry representative bodies on infrastructure coordination and housing activation.

The Group will share insights from industry, identify emerging challenges, and support the Housing Activation Office in developing collaborative, practical solutions to delivery barriers.

You can download the Housing Infrastructure Investment Fund Call 1 scheme outline by following this link