18 June 2026
By Elaine Murphy
elaine@TheCork.ie
Fianna Fáil TD James O’Connor has welcomed the announcement of funding for 2 infrastructure projects in Cork East that will unlock more than 9,700 homes across the constituency.
The announcement forms part of a wider national investment programme announced by the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, James Browne. The programme will support 82 projects nationwide, with the potential to directly unlock approximately 86,000 housing units and indirectly unlock a further 113,000 units.
In total, the projects have the potential to unlock up to 200,000 homes across the country through both direct and indirect impacts.
The projects to be funded in Cork East as part of a major multi annual commitment to unlocking land and enabling the delivery of housing at scale include:
• Carrigtwohill Housing Activation Scheme, which will directly unlock 2,747 homes and indirectly unlock a further 1,646 homes.• Waterrock Phase 2 – Linear Park and Knockgriffin Housing Activation Scheme, which will directly unlock 3,804 homes and indirectly unlock a further 1,600 homes.
Funding for these projects will be provided through the Housing Infrastructure Investment Fund (HIIF). The €1 billion fund was established by the Government this year and is administered by the new Housing Activation Office within the Department of Housing. The HIIF is the largest housing infrastructure fund announced in Ireland in many years.
File photo of James O’Connor TD
Speaking on the announcement, Deputy O’Connor said:
“Land that is suitable for housing should be able to be developed, and that is exactly what these investments will help achieve.“There is land across Cork East that is currently lying idle because it lacks the critical infrastructure needed to support housing development. These projects will address that issue and make this land ready for new homes.“The projects announced today will be supported by State funding to create additional capacity in local infrastructure networks. This will enable housing development across entire settlements, not just on the lands that directly benefit from the infrastructure investment.“Increasing housing supply is central to tackling the housing crisis, and measures such as these are essential to maximising local capacity and unlocking as many homes as possible.”
The Department will continue to develop the HIIF and intends to broaden the scope of the fund in its next call for applications later this year. This will include a wider range of public and private sector delivery partners.