Vol. 474 No. 2
65 Mr. Broughan asked the Minister for the Environment the plans, if any, he has to place the operation of voluntary housing bodies on a statutory basis in order to ensure that the highest levels of accountability, transparency and democracy will operate in this sector. [2724/97]
To qualify for assistance under the voluntary housing capital assistance or rental subsidy schemes, a voluntary body must be approved under section 6 of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act, 1992. An approved body must be: a limited company formed by guarantee of the members and without shareholders, and registered under the Companies Acts; a society registered under the Industrial and Provident Societies Acts, or a trust incorporated under the Charities Acts.
Assistance under the schemes is provided by local authorities in accordance with the provisions of sections 6 and 7 of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act, 1992, the Housing (Accommodation Provided by Approved Bodies) Regulations, 1992 and terms and conditions laid down by my Department. Assistance is conditional on, inter alia, the voluntary housing body letting the accommodation to eligible categories of persons in accordance with the schemes and appropriate consultation with the local authority in relation to lettings and rents. The voluntary housing body must also enter into an agreement with the local authority creating a mortgage on the property in respect of which the loan is advanced which gives the local authority the right to exercise the usual powers of a mortgagee in the event of a breach of any of the conditions of the loan.
I have no proposals, at this stage, to amend the statutory conditions under which assistance may be advanced by local authorities to approved voluntary housing bodies.
