HousingThe scope for public-private partnership regeneration schemes, such as at Fatima Mansions in Dolphin's Barn, should be explored outside the Dublin area, the ESRI has outlined in its key recommendations for the housing sector.
This would allow a reduction in the overall capital provision for schemes aimed at improving the quality of the housing stock, most of which is spent on regeneration programmes, it said.
With an escalation in the cost of new building, the ESRI said better value for money could be obtained by recommending a more balanced mix of tenures, including more affordable housing and more use of schemes involving the private rented sector, such as the Rental Accommodation Scheme.
The net result, it said, would be a lower capital spend for new building, acquisitions and housing maintenance.
It also recommended maintaining the spend on social rented accommodation by the voluntary housing sector, given its focus on providing rented accommodation for groups with special housing needs, such as the elderly, the disabled and the homeless.
Restructuring the range of existing schemes and supports and their eligibility criteria would deliver a more streamlined set of housing policy interventions with clear objectives, targets and output levels, the ESRI said. The restructuring should transfer the mortgage interest supplement payment to the Department of the Environment, Housing and Local Government.
The ESRI also recommended the introduction of a new, simpler, more streamlined affordable housing scheme and a review of the Part V housing supply provisions in order to ensure that they are working efficiently and effectively and not holding up housing supply. The impact on land prices as a result of Part V should also be examined, it said.
