Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 16 Nov 1999

Vol. 510 No. 6

Written Answers. - Housing Supply.

Breeda Moynihan-Cronin

Question:

91 Mrs. B. Moynihan-Cronin asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government the expected total annual housing output over the next four years; the proportion of this output which will consist of social and affordable housing; the breakdown of this between local authority, the voluntary sector and other forms of social housing; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23318/99]

Minister of State at the Department of the Environment and Local Government (Mr. Molloy):

There are a range of projections of future housing output. In particular, the ESRI in its report on national investment priorities for the period 2000-06 estimated that housing demand will average 38,000 units per annum from 1996 to 2006 and 40,000 units per annum between 2006 and 2011. In the Government commissioned report An Economic Assessment of Recent House Price Developments, Peter Bacon and Associates forecast that annual private housing output could increase to 46,000 units by 2003. Annual housing output already exceeds the ESRI projection and is very much in line with the projections in the Bacon report.

Taking account of these projections and the provision for social and affordable housing included in the national development plan, total housing output is likely to be of the order of 200,000 houses over the next four years. It is envisaged that social and affordable housing will account for some 15 per cent of total new housing output over the period. Of this, it is envisaged that local authority housing will account for some 65-70 per cent, voluntary housing some 20 per cent and affordable housing the balance of new social and affordable housing output. Of course, new housing output is only part of our response to social and affordable housing need. The full range of social and affordable housing measures will meet the housing needs of over 50,000 households over the next four years.