The Minister for the Environment has announced a #30 million boost for housing developments across the State.
An extra 31,000 housing sites are to be serviced under the Serviced Land Initiative aimed at easing pressure on the housing market by providing water and sewerage schemes.
The latest round of approvals involves 75 schemes with #12 million of the overall cost coming from the Exchequer. Key schemes include the Gillogue Water Supply Scheme which is expected to serve 6,000 sites in Limerick city and the Edenderry Water Scheme in County Offaly which will provide 3,000 sites.
According to the Department of the Environment a total of #133 million has been invested in the initiative so far bringing around 167,000 sites onto the housing market.
The funding announced today is provided for in the #3 billion investment package for water and sewerage services in the National Development Plan 2000-2006.
Mr Dempsey said the initiative is vital to ensure that the upward trend in house completions over the last few years can be maintained.