Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 4 Mar 2003

Vol. 562 No. 4

Written Answers - Local Authority Housing.

Bernard J. Durkan

Question:

418 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government if his attention has been drawn to the seriousness of the housing problem in County Kildare; if he will arrange for emergency measures, such as the release of private sites to those in possession of shared ownership loans, or those who are on the housing list in an effort to make some reasonable impact on the large number of families seeking a home; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6478/03]

Minister for the Environment and Local Government (Mr. Cullen)

The Government's strategy has been to increase housing supply to meet demand and to improve affordability, particularly for first-time purchasers. There is clear evidence that this strategy is proving effective, as total new housing output in 2002 was over 57,600 units, an increase of 9.7% on 2001 and the eighth consecutive year of record housing output. This trend is being reflected in County Kildare, where indications are that housing output in 2002 increased by close to 30% compared with 2001. The local authority assessment of housing needs carried out in March 2002 indicated that the overall number of households on local authority waiting lists in County Kildare had increased by 27% on the 1999 figure. The provision of social and affordable housing in County Kildare is increasing to meet this need. In 2001, the housing needs of some 381 households were met under social and affordable housing provisions, compared to the needs of 141 households in 2000.

The acquisition of land to meet local authority housing needs is a matter for local authorities. Funding can be met from local authorities' internal resources or from borrowings through the Housing Finance Agency. Local authorities may provide housing sites at low cost to assist persons in need of housing, including those taking shared ownership through a group housing project sponsored by a housing co-operative, voluntary body or local authority. A national inventory of zoned residential land conducted by my Department in June 2002 indicated that the availability of serviced building land in County Kildare kept pace with the record levels of house completions in recent years. There were 489 hectares of serviced residentially zoned land available in Kildare at the end of June 2002, with an estimated yield of 9,700 housing units. This is a significant increase on the survey conducted in 2001 when 328 hectares were available, with an estimated yield of 6,200 housing units. This would indicate that there is sufficient serviced land available to meet the housing needs of the Kildare region into the future.