Vol. 564 No. 1
107 Mr. Howlin asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government the progress which has been made with regard to the details of the agreement reached with the trade unions and employer organisations regarding the building of 10,000 affordable houses; when the scheme will start; the way in which it will operate; the manner in which it differs from the affordable housing scheme announced in 1999; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8742/03]
The affordable housing initiative forms part of the housing and accommodation special initiative under the new national partnership agreement, Sustaining Progress. Following ratification of the agreement, a steering group will now be established under the new agreement representing Government and relevant social partner pillars, which will have overall responsibility for the management and implementation of the agreement, and which will decide how action will be taken forward in respect of all special initiatives, including the housing and accommodation initiative. While the details of the new initiative have yet to be worked out, it is aimed at further enhancing the supply of affordable housing. The parties to the pay agreement proposed the new initiative with the objective of increasing the supply of affordable housing by 10,000 units.
It is envisaged that this initiative will differ from the 1999 affordable housing scheme in terms of the target group and the fact that it will be designed not to have an impact on the Exchequer or general Government finances. Furthermore, it is intended that the initiative will not detract from the funding available for existing social and affordable housing programmes, or affect the momentum of delivery of these programmes. I welcome this initiative as another means of bringing more affordable housing on stream. In responding to the proposal, the Government is committed to an ambitious scale of delivery of affordable housing for the target groups concerned. We will work to ensure that the output from all affordable housing schemes is maximised. It will be important more generally to ensure the continuation of measures to maintain the overall supply of new houses.
