Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 9 July 2008
350 Deputy Michael Kennedy asked the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government if he will request all local authorities to carry out a detailed audit of their social and affordable housing stock, with a breakdown of occupied and unoccupied units; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28113/08]
View answerUnder the Government's housing policy statement, Delivering Homes, Sustaining Communities, my Department has committed to undertaking a detailed audit of local authority social housing stock every ten years. The National Building Agency has recently undertaken a scoping study in preparation for this extensive audit, the results of which are informing the next steps to be taken by my Department. Under the current affordable housing schemes, affordable housing units, once purchased, become the privately-owned property of the purchaser, and as such are not considered part of the local authority stock. An audit of these properties would, therefore, not be appropriate.
