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Supporting the four pathways: Enabling a sustainable housing system
From Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage
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The government has a long-term plan to achieve a steady supply of housing in the right locations with economic, social and environmental sustainability built in to the system. Housing for All has already delivered on a number of initiatives and reforms to ensure that our housing system is sustainable into the future. These include:
- Initiatives to increase labour and sectoral capacity, including changes to the employment permit system as well as the Future Building Initiative to facilitate the matching of employers and jobseekers, referral to education and training, international recruitment and domestic workforce activation
- The Modern Methods of Construction (MMC) Leadership and Integration Group is promoting the widespread adoption of MMC and driving innovation and productivity to reduce residential construction costs
- An analysis of each component of cost of construction (including cost of compliance) of house and apartment development, informed by cost comparisons with comparable EU countries
- A review of the system of building control (regulation of building standards and practices)
- Actions to attract large-scale firms and to support small and medium size builders
- Creation of an independent Building Standards Regulator to oversee building control nationwide and to act as custodian of the Building Control Management System (BCMS)
- Support for critical infrastructural development
- Expansion of the water network to support housing delivery
- Development of national housing development monitoring digital infrastructure. This will include annual housing delivery benchmarked against national, regional, and development plan and settlement targets, and also a significant housing developments tracker for city/urban/town areas in conjunction with Local Authorities
- Development of a national zoned housing land register based on Local Authority Development Plans. This will include the potential housing yield/capacity, which can also form the basis for the associated calculation of land use values required for Land Value Sharing measures
- Reporting by the Commission on Housing to the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage on its terms of reference.
Read this section of ‘Housing for All’ in full.
Housing for All: A New Housing Plan for Ireland - Chapter 5
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On 20 March 2023, a consultation on behalf of the Housing Commission was launched. The purpose of the consultation is to inform the Housing Commission’s consideration of long-term housing policy post 2030. It is also looking at current housing issues that could affect the long-term. The final deadline to make a submission is 18 April 2023.
Read more about the Housing Commission public consultation
On 22 February 2023, a construction sector stakeholder event took place focused on identifying ways to drive innovation and boost productivity in residential construction, including through the adoption of Modern Methods of Construction (MMC).
The event was part of the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment led cross-departmental and cross-agency initiative on MMC under Housing for All.
Stakeholders heard updates on various government initiatives currently underway to:
- speed up delivery times for new home construction
- increase use of off-site manufacturing
- drive transformation in the sector.
On 18 January 2023, the government gave approval for the drafting of legislation to support the remediation of apartments and duplexes with fire safety, structural safety and water ingress defects, constructed between 1991 and 2013. The legislation will provide a statutory basis for the establishment of a remediation scheme aimed at protecting the safety and welfare of those living in apartments or duplexes with such defects that occurred during construction.
Read more on defects scheme for apartments and duplexes
On 22 December 2022, the Report on the Analysis of Skills for Residential Construction & Retrofitting, 2023 to 2030 was published.
A priority action under Housing for All , the report identifies the construction skills needs from the further education and training and higher education sector to meet housing and retrofitting targets outlined in Housing for All and the National Retrofit Plan .
Read more in the Report on the Analysis of Skills for Residential Construction
On 1 July 2022, the Housing Commission launched a public consultation seeking views on a Referendum on Housing in Ireland. The consultation asked submissions to consider whether there should be a constitutional amendment and if so what form it should take.
Read more about the Housing Commission consultation
On 10 March 2022, updated Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) guidelines were published. The updated guidelines address some of the weaknesses in the SEA process. The guidelines will help local authorities integrate environmental issues into Development Plans and contribute towards achieving national and international sustainable development goals.
Read more on the updated Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) guidelines
On 16 February 2022, the standards for Approved Housing Bodies (AHBs) were approved. The standards for AHBs have been developed following engagement with the sector and a wide range of key stakeholders. They establish a set of outcomes that AHBs are required to achieve in order to demonstrate the protection of housing assets provided or managed by AHBs.
Approved Housing Bodies are independent, not-for-profit organisations who, alongside Local Authorities, provide housing for people on the social housing waiting list or for particular groups, such as older people or homeless people.
Read more on the standards for approved housing bodies sector
In December 2021, over 200 new staff for Local Authority housing delivery teams were approved . These posts will increase the capacity of local authorities to initiate, manage and deliver new build housing schemes.
Read more on the 200 new housing posts for local authorities
On 12 January 2021, the Regulation of Providers of Building Works Bill 2021 was published . Once implemented, the legislation will require all entities providing building services to register with the Construction Industry Register Ireland. The legislation will put the register on a statutory footing.
The Bill aims to benefit consumers and the general public by giving those who engage a registered builder the assurance that they are dealing with a competent and compliant operator. It is expected to help develop and promote a culture of competence, good practice and compliance with building regulations. It is envisaged that builders will be able to begin registering in 2023 and statutory registration will commence in early 2024.
Read more on the Construction Industry Register Ireland
Supporting the Four Pathways: Enabling a Sustainable Housing System - Factsheet
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