A new streamlined process to improve delivery times of social housing projects has come into effect.
Part of the Government's housing plan, it simplifies the approval process by replacing a multiple-stage process with one single approval process.
The Government's housing plan, announced late last year, contained many measures to improve housing delivery, and one pertaining to social housing is now in effect.
From today, all new social housing projects under the value of €200 million will be subject to a single approval process ahead of construction, rather than the previous four-stage process that local authorities and approved housing bodies had to go through with the Department of Housing.
Minister for Housing James Browne said the changes should accelerate the delivery of social homes by reducing bureaucracy and red tape.
"I am determined to use every opportunity available to accelerate the delivery of social homes. That means reducing bureaucracy, cutting red tape and putting in place systems that allow new social homes to be delivered faster and more efficiently."
New standardised designs and specifications for social housing have also been introduced to help with delivery times and to control costs.
Until now, it was up to local authorities to design bespoke projects for each area.
The Government has been repeatedly criticised by opposition parties for failing to reach their social housing targets in recent years, but with today's changes it hopes to deliver 72,000 social homes by 2030.
