The Affordable Homes Partnership was established with effect from 1 August 2005 under the terms of the Affordable Homes Partnership (Establishment) Order 2005, copies of which have been placed in the Oireachtas Library.
In the short period since its appointment, the board of the partnership has already met on two occasions. An interim chief executive officer has taken up duty, arrangements for the wider staffing of the organisation have been progressed significantly and a range of corporate governance issues have been addressed. The partnership's overall objective is to co-ordinate and add impetus to the delivery of affordable housing in the greater Dublin area and it has been assigned specific functions for this purpose in article 4(2) of the establishment order. In its work to-date, the partnership has focused particular attention on preparations for the call for proposals to issue to builders-developers with a view to bringing forward land for affordable housing. I understand this process, which will take account of guidelines issued by the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, will be initiated shortly by way of public advertisement.
The partnership has also been undertaking preparatory work on a number of land swap projects similar to the successful Harcourt Terrace pilot project concluded earlier this year. I understand the procurement process in the first of these projects is to commence next month. As for the possible amalgamation of the various affordable housing schemes currently in operation, this was one of a number of issues highlighted in the NESC report, Housing in Ireland: Performance and Policy, for further consideration. The Government intends to address these issues shortly, taking account also of work under way by the housing forum in reviewing the effectiveness of existing social and affordable housing schemes in the context of the Sustaining Progress agreement.