To ask the Minister for Communities when the draft revised design standards for housing for older people (category 1 and category 2) will be implemented and made mandatory.

In addition to the current draft design standards for Category 1 and Category 2 housing, my Department is piloting ‘Housing our Ageing Population: Panel for Innovation’ (HAPPI) design recommendations which provide for generous space standards, provision of natural daylight, good ventilation, ample storage, and design of communal spaces to encourage social interaction.

Once sufficient cost and post-occupancy data is available from additional schemes, a decision will be made whether to bring this forward for approval, subject to Social Housing Development Programme budget.