New public infrastructure projects due to be funded through the Housing Activation Office are expected to result in “tens of thousands” of homes over the coming years, an Oireachtas committee has heard.A new fund, which opened to applications in January, attracted 138 applications for public infrastructure from almost all local authorities.The Housing Infrastructure Investment Fund, which will provide €1 billion to local authorities up to 2030, aims to provide infrastructure needed to unlock zoned land for housing developments.The Oireachtas housing committee heard on Tuesday that the 138 applications largely related to road projects, though some concerned water infrastructure.Garret Doocey, head of the Housing Activation Office, said the majority of projects met the necessary criteria and were at various stages, including past tendering.“All of the projects are very, very good in terms of the concept and in terms of what they can do,” he said.As to how many housing units the successful infrastructure projects might enable, Doocey said “tens of thousands” of units could be activated upon completion.The projects will have a “multiannual life cycle”, he said, adding that they had been identified in development plans as being required to unlock zoned land for housing.Decisions on successful applications are expected to be shared “imminently”, he said.[ Controversial new apartment standards open for public consultation amid legal challengeOpens in new window ]TDs and Senators heard Longford County Council was the sole local authority not to apply for funding in the first round, with committee chair Micheál Carrigy, a Fine Gael TD from Longford, saying it was “very disappointing to hear”.Karen Kenny, senior planning adviser at the Department of Housing, told Carrigy the Housing Activation Office had engaged with all local authorities, including Longford.She said the first call of funding applications might have come “very quickly for some local authorities”.“But I think in future, most will be ready with their next suite of projects,” she said.Doocey separately told committee members that while more land is being zoned, infrastructure gaps can “delay progress”.Since his office was established in April 2025, it has engaged with all local authorities, the Land Development Agency and infrastructure providers to build a “clearer picture” of key sites and the constraints affecting them, he said.[ Developer facing jail benefited from Minister’s planning ruling on same day as sentencingOpens in new window ]However, “wider indications” show a “strengthening housing pipeline”, he said, citing increased planning permissions, rising commencements and a “significant increase” in homes under construction.“The role of the Housing Activation Office is to ensure that infrastructure constraints do not impede this momentum,” he said.He told committee members that the office is moving beyond site-by-site interventions to a more “strategic approach” by developing a national view of infrastructure priorities and supporting larger-scale investments to enable housing delivery at scale.Doocey said the office will “continue to play a central role” in achieving the Government’s target of 300,000 homes by 2030.