Vol. 519 No. 7
12 Mr. M. Higgins asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government the specific steps he proposes to take to meet the commitments in the Programme for Prosperity and Fairness in regard to social and affordable housing; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14678/00]
The Government is committed to providing the necessary financial and other support to ensure the implementation of the commitments made under the Programme for Prosperity and Fairness regarding social and affordable housing. The necessary investment to provide for expansion of the local authority and voluntary housing programmes, increased support to facilitate home ownership for lower income households, the implementation of the local Traveller accommodation programmes, the improvement of the physical condition of the social housing stock and other targeted home improvement measures have been provided for in the investment of £6 billion for social and affordable housing contained in the national development plan.
The programme reiterates the Government's commitment to comprehensively address the problem of homelessness. In this regard, I recently launched the Government's integrated strategy on homelessness which was based on the report of the cross-departmental team on homelessness published earlier this month. In addition, as indicated in the programme, the report of the commission on the private rented residential sector, which is due by the end of June, will provide the basis for reform of the private rented sector.
I indicated in a reply to an earlier question that I propose to establish a housing forum as envisaged in the programme. The forum will be representative of the social partners and the relevant Departments, and its remit will specifically include monitoring of the implementation of the housing objectives and actions set out in the Programme for Prosperity and Fairness.
The question relates to performance under the various targets set down. Can the Minister of State explain why, according to his Department's official figures, fewer local authority and voluntary houses were built last year than in 1995 when half the number of people were on the housing list? How does he propose to meet the targets agreed with the social partners with such an appalling performance under his watch?
Question No. 18 addresses some of these issues. I have the figures. New local authority housing in 1999, including acquisitions, was 3,713. It was 3,290 in 1998 and 3,217 in 1997. It has been increasing each year, so I do not know to what the Deputy refers.
I refer to building 2,909 as against 2,960, 579 as against 1,009.
No, I have the correct figures.
We cannot proceed with Question Time in this manner.
The Minister of State will have to give—
The Minister of State is in possession. The Deputy will have another chance to contribute when the Minister of State is finished.
I am finished now.
The Minister of State will have to give answers which are consistent with the information published by his Department. According to that information, the number of local authority and voluntary houses built under his stewardship last year was less than was built in 1995 when half the number of people were on the housing list. What is the number of local authority house completions in the first quarter of this year which, at the previous Question Time, the Minister of State's colleague promised would be available to us today?
That question is not contained within the question on the Order Paper.
With respect, a Cheann Comhairle, my question is about meeting the commitments in the Programme for Prosperity and Fairness and that involves building houses. The Minister of State is very good at giving targets and making generalised statements.
The Deputy should confine himself to the question.
How many local authority houses were completed in the first quarter of this year?
The Deputy did not ask that question originally. He quoted certain figures but I have the figures here. The number of new local authority houses built in 1999 was 2,909. It was 2,771 in 1998 and 2,632 in 1997.
It was 2,960 in 1995.
I have raised the number of starts allocated to all local authorities to 5,500 this year, which is an enormous increase on the number of starts—
They will not be built.
—last year or the year before. Local authorities have been asked to bring forward their house building programmes to accelerate house construction. As the Deputy knows, it takes time to establish a substantially increased local authority house building programme. I depend on each local authority taking the initiative and being quick off the mark. Some have been while others are not so advanced. I am assured that all the starts I have allocated for this year will be achieved.
How many were completed in the first quarter?
The Deputy knows we have a very ambitious local authority house building programme. We are reviewing those figures to see if they might be increased further.
Next week is 1 June which means we are almost half way through the year. Has the Minister of State any applications from local authorities for housing starts? Will he reach his target given that there is just over half the year to go?
I said I am assured that the target of 5,500 housing starts which I authorised across all housing authorities will be achieved and that they will start this year. I depend on local authorities complying with and achieving that. I will not know the figure until the beginning of next year.
