My Department has been provided with significant investment for the social and affordable housing programme for the period 2006-08. Exchequer capital resources for the period stand at almost €4 billion and this sum rises to more than €6.5 billion when non-voted and current spending provisions are included. This money will be invested in response to identified need, with in the region of 23,000 new units of social housing to be commenced and 15,000 units of affordable housing to be delivered over the same period. In addition, further households will be assisted through the new rental accommodation scheme. In total, we expect some 50,000 households to benefit from various social and affordable housing measures over the coming three years.
As part of this expanded provision it is expected that in the region of 6,000 starts will be achieved under the main local authority housing construction programme in 2006. The process of examining individual local authority housing construction programmes is currently under way and allocations will be made shortly. By the very nature of the programme delivery of units is dispersed widely across all local authorities and their many locations.
The local authority housing programme is part of the wider social and affordable housing programmes for which the main strategy for delivery is the local authority five-year action plans for social and affordable housing. The action plans, now at their mid-way stage, are currently being reviewed. The review is focussing on examining how targets have been met in the first two years of the plan and on incorporating any adjustments required for the remaining years of the plan, in light of performance including expected 2006 outputs, and the results of the recent housing needs assessment. The outcome of the reviews will ensure that local authorities continue to have a framework for the integrated and cohesive planning and delivery over the coming years of specific social and affordable housing measures based on their relevant housing strategy.