Still just €16m out of €200m Government Housing Fund spent three years after it was launched

                  -Flagship Government policy delivers just 814 homes since 2016-
 
PQ replies provided to Fianna Fáil Housing Spokesperson Darragh O’Brien have highlighted the low drawdown and limited delivery of the Local Infrastructure Housing Activation Fund (LIHAF.)
 
Just €16m of the €200m has been spent, to date, almost three years after it was announced as a core part of the Re-Building Ireland policy. 814 homes have been delivered under the scheme to date out of a promised total 19,979. LIHAF invests in infrastructure such as roads and water to prepare sites for construction.
 
Commenting on the figures Deputy O’Brien stated “The rate of spending from this fund is shockingly low. It promises to deliver almost 20,000 homes but just 814 of those have actually been built after three years. The fund has spent just €16m out of the €200m earmarked for investment, 8% of what was promised. The major time lag between Government promises and delivery is compounding the housing crisis across the country.
 
“In July 2016 Fine Gael launched their Rebuilding Ireland programme. LIHAF was a flagship policy to deliver affordable homes but it seems to be sinking under the weight of delays. The three-year time lag raises serious questions around the effectiveness of the fund and its operation.
 
“Clearly the red tape surrounding the scheme is clogging up drawdowns. The fund should be reviewed to ensure it is fit for purpose and its drawdown speeded up to help get bricks and mortar into the ground”, concluded Deputy O’Brien.