The Irish Government has announced the approval of site locations for over 450 new social housing units which are to be delivered through a public private partnership (PPP) programme.  The social housing with a capital value of approximately €100 million (US$109 million) is being developed at eight sites in co-operation with the local authorities in each area.

The PPP contracts, yet to be awarded, will comprise design, build, financing and operation and maintenance (DBFOM) of the project for 25 years.

Three of the sites are located in County Cork, with one each in the cities of Galway and Waterford.  There is a further one site each in counties Clare, Kildare and Roscommon.

The funding is part of a programme of investment totalling €300 million in social housing through the public private partnership model. The programme is to deliver 1,500 social housing units.

To enable delivery to commence as quickly as possible, the PPP programme is being rolled out in three bundles.  The new announcement is relative to the second bundle of sites. The first bundle comprising six separate sites located in the greater Dublin area was announced in October 2015. The eight sites being announced today are located across the country in six different local authority areas. The eight sites, namely, are: 

• The Walk, Roscommon Town, Co. Roscommon: 53 units
• The Miles, Clonakilty, Co. Cork: 50 units
• Slievekeale, Waterford City: 50 units
• Ballyburke, Galway City: 73 units
• Shannon East, Co. Clare: 50-60 units
• Poundhill, Skibbereen, Co. Cork: 50 units
• Oakwood, Macroom, Co. Cork: 50-60 units
• Butterstream, Clane, Co. Kildare: 80 units

Minister Simon Coveney said:

"Today I am announcing eight locations where over 450 social houses are being developed through public private partnership.  €100 million is being invested to deliver these new homes.  We have a significant shortage of housing supply and need to use every feasible means to meet this challenge.  PPP provides us with an effective mechanism to fund and deliver additional badly-needed social housing units.

Each of the sites is being delivered with the full co-operation and participation of individual local authorities in the relevant locations.

Today’s announcement is for the second of three bundles of sites and I expect to announce a third bundle with a value of €100 million later in 2016."