The government's ambitious housing plan, named 'Delivering Homes, Building Communities', aims to construct 90,000 'starter homes' over the next five years. This initiative is part of a broader commitment to deliver over 300,000 new homes by 2030. The plan, to be presented to the cabinet by Minister James Browne, will outline the strategies to achieve this goal. An additional €2.5 billion in funding for the Land Development Agency (LDA) will expand its role in tackling the housing crisis, allowing it to acquire more private and state land and deliver homes in a wider geographic area. The LDA's total allocation now stands at €8.75 billion. Under the funding, up to 12,000 social homes and 15,000 affordable housing units could be delivered annually. The 'starter homes' include any property where the state provides support for first-time buyers to purchase or renovate. Additionally, Minister Darragh O'Brien will brief the cabinet on his department's investment plans under the National Development Plan (NDP), which includes €3.5 billion for equity investment in energy projects and €558 million for home retrofitting. Minister Peter Burke will also announce an emergency humanitarian flooding scheme for businesses impacted by floods in Bantry, Co. Cork, and provide an update on the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission's (CCPC) strengthened powers. Minister Martin Heydon will inform the cabinet about recent avian flu outbreaks and support for poultry farmers, while Tánaiste Simon Harris will update colleagues on Ireland's participation in the G20 summit in South Africa. The next census, scheduled for May 9, 2027, will include a 'time capsule' option for personal messages. Minister Jennifer Carroll MacNeill will provide an update on emergency care, with a notable 8% reduction in patients on hospital trolleys. The government's efforts to address the housing crisis and other sectors' developments will be closely watched as they strive to meet their ambitious targets.
