Minister Canney Welcomes New National Housing Plan to Activate Supply and Support People
Seán Canney TD, Minister of State for International and Road Transport, Logistics, Rail and Ports and Leader in Cabinet of the Independent Ministers, has welcomed the new National Housing Plan, describing it as a major step forward in tackling the housing challenge through practical action, reform and investment.
The plan is built around two pillars – Activating Supply and Supporting People – with a target to deliver 300,000 new homes nationwide while ensuring people are supported through every stage of accessing housing. Minister Canney said the new plan is part of the Government’s ongoing work since it was formed in January to accelerate housing delivery and remove the barriers to supply, combining new policy measures with major capital investment.
Minister Canney particularly welcomes the expansion of the Vacant Property Refurbishment Grant, describing it as “one of the real success stories of recent years.” Since its introduction in 2022, over 15,000 applications have been received, 11,000 approved, and almost 3,800 payments made by the end of September 2025.
The new grant to convert vacant spaces over shops into homes is another positive step, with funding of up to €140,000 available, including an expert advice grant of €5,000 to help owners plan projects. This will benefit every village, town and city.
He also welcomed the strong focus on tackling vacancy and dereliction through the Compulsory Purchase Order Activation Programme, which supports local authorities to identify, acquire and bring vacant buildings back into use.
Minister Canney said local authorities will revisit Development Plans to ensure a clear pipeline of zoned and serviced land is available for housing.
He also welcomed the Government’s decision to increase funding to the Land Development Agency (LDA), bringing its total capitalisation to €8.75 billion.
“This additional €2.5 billion in equity funding will enable the LDA to deliver 14,000 homes by 2029 and expand its remit to support housing delivery across more locations,” he said.
He highlighted the major infrastructure investment underpinning the plan, with €12.2 billion for the water sector, including €11.7 billion for Uisce Éireann for strategic projects, and €3.5 billion for ESB Networks and EirGrid between 2026 and 2030 to strengthen the grid.
“Utilities must use this funding urgently to service more land and support housing growth,” he said.
The Minister also pointed to the €3.5 billion allocated for transport projects to unlock housing across Ireland’s five cities. This will help to deliver housing in Cork, Dublin, Galway, Limerick and Waterford. This coupled with the allocation of €24.3 billion for the transport sector in the revised National Development Plan, means key pieces of infrastructure can be progressed.
“These investments in water, energy and transport are central to supporting new housing and regional growth,” he added.
Minister Canney said measures announced in Budget 2026 to kickstart private housing have been widely welcomed by industry.
Finance at a reasonable cost is critical to bridge delivery gaps in the private sector. The Minister noted the €400 million ISIF (Ireland Strategic Investment Fund) equity investment programme announced under the plan.
“This ISIF funding will support SME homebuilders and smaller developers to scale up delivery, addressing a key constraint in the sector,” he said. “It’s a positive step to help viable residential projects proceed right across the country. I am now calling on the pillar banks to step up and match this commitment by providing financial backing to small and medium builders to support housing delivery.”
The private sector also need to step up as well according to Minister Canney.
“Government has acted – now I’m calling on the sector to take up the challenge and deliver the homes communities need.”
He also noted the 66% increase in apprenticeships in construction since 2020. This again is positive and we need to continue to build on this according to the Minister.
A new Accelerating Infrastructure Taskforce, to be launched in December, is also welcome as it will remove unnecessary barriers and time times and help speed up delivery of key infrastructure.
“This plan takes every practical step to deliver more homes faster and drive down homelessness figures,” Minister Canney concluded. “By activating supply, investing in infrastructure and introducing key reforms, we can ensure every community benefits from increased housing and revitalised town and village centres.”