Dáil Éireann debate -
Thursday, 29 Jun 2000

Vol. 522 No. 4

Written Answers. - Local Authority Housing.

Jim O'Keeffe

Question:

53 Mr. J. O'Keeffe asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government the number on the waiting list for local authority housing in Cork city and county; and if they have any realistic prospects of being housed in the near future. [18061/00]

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

According to the assessment of local authority housing needs undertaken in March 1999 the assessed need for local authority housing in the Cork local authorities is as set out in the following table.

The Government is giving a particularly high priority to the issue of housing. This is reflected in the national development plan and in the package of measures recently launched by the Government's programme – Action on Housing – copies of which were sent to all Deputies and which included, inter alia, increased targets for the provision of local authority housing over the period 2000-06 together with a range of other measures in relation to social housing provision. A total of 2,737 housing starts were approved last November for Cork city and county for the four years 2000-03. Local authorities will shortly be invited to seek an additional allocation from the 5,000 additional starts announced in “Action on Housing”.

In addition to the construction-acquisition of houses, the local authorities in Cork city and county will also be able to use vacancies arising in existing local authority housing and increased output under other social housing measures, particularly in the provision of voluntary housing, to meet the needs of households on the waiting lists.

Local Authority Assessment of Housing Need (March 1999)

Local Authority	Net approved need
Cork Corporation	1,303
Cork North County Council	522
Cork South County Council	810
Cork West County Council	514
Fermoy UDC	54
Macroom UDC	122
Mallow UDC	223
Kinsale UDC	88
Midleton UDC	173
Youghal UDC	165
Clonakilty UDC	76
Cobh UDC	164
Skibbereen UDC	82