Planning reforms aimed at making it easier to build modular homes in Ireland are necessary to tackle the housing crisis, Leo Varadkar has said.
The Government is encouraging local authorities to invest in modular homes as a way to provide a rapid supply of new residences.
The houses are largely built in factories and assembled in sections on site.
Modular homes have already been used to house some of the thousands of Ukrainian refugees who have travelled to Ireland since the Russian invasion of their country.
In a letter sent to local governments this month, Minister for Housing Darragh O'Brien offered them a way to lower the debt loads on their properties in exchange for their quick provision of social housing, notably modular dwellings.
The number of modular social dwellings that can be supplied in 2023 is a question that the government is attempting to answer, according to Mr. Varadkar.
He declared, "We are in the midst of a very major housing catastrophe, a very big and terrible housing disaster."
"I am aware that some people will not approve of the planning reforms we are implementing, but I believe they are essential because they will enable local governments to construct social housing and other types of public housing on public lands without having to go through the planning process.
The objective is to supply new homes, especially rapid build homes, significantly faster as a result of the months that will be saved. I don't have a precise estimate of what can be accomplished in the upcoming year.
"I have discussed it with Patrick O'Donovan, the minister for the Office of Public Works, and I just spoke with the OPW's top official yesterday.
"I've asked them to get back to me with an estimate of how much could be accomplished in terms of rapid build homes in the upcoming year and the year following.
"Building houses off-site is only one aspect of the problem. Having the sites and having them maintained is the second step.
"So I want to be able to give you a figure that I can stand over before I put a figure on it.
However, I have asked them, "How many can you do? I'll say, "Let's make that happen," when they tell me how many they can do.
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