The Government has been conscious of the increased level of social housing need and has responded actively to this situation by expanding social and affordable housing output. My Department is allocating record levels of funding to local authorities for their social and affordable housing programmes in 2005. The total Exchequer capital funding available for social and affordable housing in 2005, taking account of the additional resources announced in the budget, will be almost €1.18 billion which represents an increase of 17% on the likely outcome in 2004.
In association with this funding, my Department has initiated the development by local authorities of new five year action plans for social and affordable housing, to ensure a systematic and integrated approach to the effective use of these resources. I consider that given the nature of continual housing need, the preparation of these action plans is beneficial to local authorities in identifying priority needs over the coming years and providing a coherent and co-ordinated response across all housing services, including delivery of housing by the voluntary and co-operative housing sector. Two thirds of these plans, including the action plan for Sligo County and Borough Councils have already been approved by my Department and the remainder are likely to be approved within a matter of weeks.