Dáil Éireann debate -
Thursday, 11 May 2000

Vol. 519 No. 1

Written Answers. - Housing Co-operatives.

Noel Ahern

Question:

139 Mr. N. Ahern asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government the number of housing co-operatives which have been approved over the past five years and for the past five to ten years; the number of units constructed over the ten year period per year in total or average; if all such co-operatives have a standard set of rules or conditions; if these are provided by the Department; if there is an area of flexibility for each group; and if he will provide a copy of the standard rules and criteria for entry. [13229/00]

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

My Department does not operate a separate approval system for housing co-operatives.

A total of 122 voluntary and co-operative bodies received approved status under the Housing Acts from my Department in the five year period from May 1995 to May 2000. In the period from May 1990 to May 1995 some 123 bodies were approved.

Details of the number of housing units constructed by the voluntary and co-operative sector in the past ten years under the voluntary housing schemes operated by my Department are set out in the following table:

Year	Number of units Constructed
1990	500
1991	581
1992	519
1993	890
1994	901
1995	1,011
1996	917
1997	756
1998	485
1999	579

Limited Companies formed by guarantee of their members and without shareholders and registered under the Companies Acts, 1963 to 1990, societies registered under the Industrial and Provident Societies Acts, 1893 to 1978, and Trusts incorporated under the Charities Acts may be considered for approved status. To qualify for approved status, a body must have as an object the provision of housing, the relief of housing need or poverty or hardship.

A company or society must have provisions in its memorandum of association or registered rules, as the case may be, prohibiting the distribution of any surplus, profit, bonus or dividend to members and requiring that the assets of the body be applied solely towards its objects.

Applications for approval must be supported by the memorandum and articles of association, rules or the constitution of the body seeking approval together with a copy of its certificate of incorporation or registration.

I have arranged to have a copy of my Department's memorandum HGS 6/92, which sets out the criteria in relation to application for approved status, forwarded to the Deputy.