Vol. 519 No. 1
136 Mr. Stanton asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government if he has directed or will direct local authorities to carry out an assessment of vacant local authority housing in each local authority area with a view to making same available to those on waiting lists; the information, if any, he has in relation to such vacant housing stock; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13186/00]
Information available to my Department indicates that at the end of December 1998 some 3,100 local authority dwellings were vacant. A large number of these vacant dwellings comprise flats in the Dublin Corporation area which have been detenanted prior to future demolition in such areas as Ballymun and St. Michael's Estate and major renovations in various inner city flats complexes.
The figures available to my Department suggest that normally, apart from major renovation projects, about 1% of local authority dwellings are vacant at any time. This is largely due to the fact that dwellings becoming vacant usually require renovations/improvements to be undertaken before being relet. I would encourage local authorities to ensure that once a dwelling becomes vacant it is relet as quickly as possible to a household on the waiting list.
137 Mr. Stanton asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government the number of people on housing waiting lists administered by Midleton, Youghal and Cobh Urban District Councils respectively; the resources made available to each of these local authorities by him to address the waiting lists; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13187/00]
According to the assessment of local authority housing needs undertaken in March 1999 the numbers of households on the housing lists for Midleton, Youghal and Cobh Urban District Councils were 173, 165 and 164 respectively.
The Government is giving a particularly high priority to the issue of housing. This is reflected in the new national development plan which makes provision for the construction of 35,500 local authority houses over the seven years of the plan.
Under the multi-annual housing programme a total of 22,000 housing starts have been approved for the four years 2000-03. This works out at an average of 5,500 housing starts per year, which is the highest number for years. The Urban District Councils of Midleton, Youghal and Cobh have been allocated 70, 80 and 70 housing starts respectively for the four years 2000-03. This will allow the local authorities to plan their housing programmes in advance over a four year period rather than on an annual basis.
In addition to the construction/acquisition of houses, the Urban District Councils of Midleton, Youghal and Cobh will also be able to use vacancies arising in existing local authority housing and output under other social housing measures to meet the needs of households on the waiting lists. For example, a voluntary housing scheme is in the process of being completed by St. Pancras voluntary housing association at Beechwood, Youghal Road, and this will cater for 38 households on the Midleton housing list.
