Public consultation on Review of Rebuilding Ireland
Eoghan Murphy, Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government has opened a public consultation process, inviting submissions on the targeted review of the Government’s Rebuilding Ireland Action Plan for Housing and Homelessness, following its first full year of implementation.
Rebuilding Ireland was published on 19 July 2016 as the Government’s response to the biggest single challenge facing Ireland — the housing and homeless crisis. Rebuilding Ireland, together with the Government’s Strategy for the Rental Sector (published on 13 December 2016), comprises 113 actions, across five key Pillar Areas, as follows:
- Address Homelessness
- Accelerate Social Housing
- Build More Homes
- Improve the Rental Sector
- Utilise Existing Housing
The multi-stranded, action-oriented Rebuilding Ireland Action Plan aims to reverse the chronic under-supply of new homes that is making new home purchase and rents increasingly unaffordable and is driving additional households into homelessness. It is designed to address all tenure types – social, private and rental – and to tackle homelessness comprehensively, by setting ambitious targets to, inter alia:
- Double the annual level of new homes built to 25,000 by 2020
- Deliver an additional 47,000 social housing units in the period to 2021
- Make the best use of the existing housing stock
- Lay the foundations for a more vibrant and responsive private rented sector
Why the public consultation?
Rebuilding Ireland was published just over a year ago on 19 July 2016 with the aim to increase and accelerate housing delivery across all tenures to help individuals and families meet their housing needs.
It’s clear that increased State investment and targeted supply-side initiatives are having a positive impact on the number of new homes becoming available to rent or buy. Nevertheless, one year on, given the unprecedented mismatch in the short term between supply and demand, it’s timely that we reflect on what additional measures may be required, building on the important work already completed or underway.
You can download an information note document, which provides some background material and updates on implementation to date and setting out a number of specific questions on which views would be particularly welcome.
How to get involved?
Written submissions are welcome from stakeholders within the housing and homelessness sectors, as well as from members of the public and should be sent to rebuildingireland@housing.gov.ie not later than 12 noon on Friday, 11th August 2017. A cover template for submissions (see link below) is provided and should be completed and returned with all submissions.
