Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 9 July 2008
354 Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the number of local authority homes that were in their respective housing stock for each of the local authorities here for each of the years, 1992, 1997, 2002, and 2007. [28126/08]
View answer357 Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the number of local authority homes built by each of the local authorities here for each of the past 20 years; the number purchased on the open market; and the number purchased under Part V of the Planning and Development Act 2000. [28129/08]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 354 and 357 together.
Data in relation to local authority housing stock and social housing starts and completions, including acquisitions on foot of Part V agreements, are published in my Department's Annual and Quarterly Housing Statistics Bulletins, copies of which are available in the Oireachtas library. Bulletins from 2000 onwards are also available on my Department's website, www.environ.ie.
355 Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the number of voluntary housing units here, their location, the organisation involved and the type for each of the years, 1992, 1997, 2002, and 2007. [28127/08]
View answerDetails of the accommodation provided under my Department's Capital Funding Schemes by approved voluntary and co-operative housing bodies for each of the years 1992, 1997, 2002 and 2007 are published in my Department's Annual Housing Statistics Bulletin, copies of which are available in the Oireachtas Library. Copies of the Annual Bulletins for the years 2000 to 2006 and the relevant quarterly bulletins for 2007 are also available on my Department's website at www.environ.ie. The detailed information requested with regard to the individual housing bodies involved and the type of accommodation provided is not readily available and its compilation would involve a disproportionate amount of time and work.
356 Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the number of local authority homes being built by local authorities or voluntary housing groups in 2008. [28128/08]
View answerWork was in progress on over 10,600 social housing units under the local authority and the voluntary and co-operative housing programmes at the start of this year. However, due to the nature of social housing construction projects, where the project life cycle may extend beyond a single year, information is not available on the number of houses expected to be completed this year. Data in relation to social housing starts and completions are published throughout the year in my Department's Quarterly Housing Statistics Bulletins, copies of which are available in the Oireachtas library and on my Department's website, www.environ.ie. The Bulletin for the first quarter of 2008 is to be published shortly.
358 Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the local authority housing list in terms of applicants for each of the local authorities and in terms of persons on the application. [28131/08]
View answer373 Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government his proposals to address the local authority housing crisis having particular regard to the numbers on waiting lists at present and the likelihood of further increases in the future; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28257/08]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 358 and 373 together.
A statutory assessment of housing need is carried out every three years by all housing authorities. The last assessment took place in 2005 and indicated that there were 43,684 households on local authority housing waiting lists. Detailed information on this assessment is available on my Department's website. Local authorities are currently carrying out the 2008 statutory housing needs assessment, the results of which will be published in due course. This year alone, my Department has allocated a record amount of over €1 billion to support construction and acquisitions projects by local authorities across the country, with a further €200m for regeneration and renewal projects. In addition, close to €300m in capital grants and loan funding is being provided to support a significant programme of activity by the voluntary and co-operative housing sector.
The Government's housing policy statement Delivering Homes, Sustaining Communities and the National Development Plan 2007-2013 reflect the strong commitment to expand social housing provision contained in the social partnership agreement Towards 2016. Under the agreement, 27,000 social housing starts are to be delivered over the period 2007-2009. Good progress is being made in meeting this target with some 9,000 new social housing starts achieved in 2007.
359 Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the number of local authority homes planned in each of the regeneration projects here currently underway or in the planning stage which have been authorised by his Department; the number of local authority homes originally on the site being redeveloped; and the number occupied when the regeneration order was agreed. [28132/08]
View answer360 Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the number of private and affordable homes that were or are planned for each of the regeneration projects here; and the timeframe for development of each scheme currently started or planned. [28133/08]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 359 and 360 together.
My Department currently supports an ambitious National Regeneration Programme and a record €121 million in exchequer funding has been made available for projects under this programme in 2008. Works are under way in number of these projects, namely Ballymun in Dublin City, Laurel Avenue in Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown and Knocknaheeny and the Glen in Cork City. This funding also includes long-standing agreements to support redevelopment works within inner city flat complexes in Dublin City and a number of estates in Waterford City.
Other regeneration schemes are proposed in Limerick City, Sligo Town, Tralee and Dundalk and the authorities in question are in the process of developing their master plans. Under the procedures for the regeneration of local authority estates, a fully costed and detailed master plan outlining the required actions for the social, economic, and physical regeneration of the area is submitted to my Department for approval. It is difficult to ascertain the exact level of activity or timeframes involved in advance of an agreed master plan. In addition to regeneration schemes that are funded in the main by the exchequer, there are a number of PPP regeneration projects at various stages of procurement and development which have not been approved by the Department to commence development and for which only indicative numbers are available. In other instances, housing PPP projects that have been approved do not involve the regeneration of existing local authority estates.
For the regeneration schemes, including PPP regeneration, where work is ongoing, the following information is available:
Ballymun: at the beginning of the regeneration process in 1998, the Ballymun estate comprised 2,814 flats and 1,987 local authority houses, of which 985 had been purchased under tenant purchase arrangements. The regeneration process involved the demolition of the flats and some 80 houses, of which approximately 2,300 were occupied in 1998, and replacing them with high quality housing. Under current plans, the regeneration programme will deliver 2,288 new social houses, 436 new voluntary and co-operative houses, and 2,617 new private dwellings in addition to the 1,907 houses previously built. The scheduled completion date for the regeneration is 2012. It is anticipated that there will be some remaining sites that could be used to deliver further private and affordable housing.
Laurel Avenue: Dun Laoghaire Rathdown County Council continues to support the regeneration of Laurel Avenue which saw the original estate of 61 social units (19 occupied) demolished to make way for 77 new social houses and apartments. This project is expected to be completed by Autumn this year.
Knocknaheeny: The Knocknaheeny regeneration involves some 874 houses of which 860 were occupied at the publication of the master plan. The plan proposed 1,124 social, and 20 affordable houses. The scheduled completion date for this project is 2010.
The Glen: The master plan for this regeneration identified 652 units (including 234 flats) for regeneration. Of these some 526 were occupied. Phases one and two of the project will deliver 642 regenerated social units. Phase two of the project is expected to be delivered by 2011. Phase three is still at the planning stage and the distribution of the housing units as social, affordable, and private has yet to be determined.
Fatima Mansions: This has involved the complete regeneration of 364 inner city flats with a socially disadvantaged community, into a vibrant new development at the centre of the city. The completed regeneration of Fatima Mansions will see 615 new dwellings, 150 of which are social housing, some 400 are private houses with the remainder being affordable housing. In addition substantial community and commercial facilities are being provided on the site. Phase 1 of the scheme has been completed, with the second and final phase due for completion by the end of 2009.
O'Devaney Gardens: The regeneration of O'Devaney Gardens will involve the regeneration of 272 social dwellings, of which 186 are occupied. At completion the project will deliver 281 social housing units, 250 affordable and 292 private units as well as community and commercial facilities. The timing of this regeneration is subject to the resolution of issues which have arisen during the procurement process.
361 Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government if progress has been made in authorising Dublin City Council’s new scheme of lettings submitted to him earlier in 2008. [28137/08]
View answerThe revised scheme of letting priorities submitted by Dublin City Council is currently under consideration in my Department. I expect to make a decision on it in the near future.
362 Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government if progress has been made in the past few months on the sale of flats scheme; when a decision on this scheme is expected; the reason for the delay; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28138/08]
View answerProposals for a tenant purchase scheme for apartments were included in the General Scheme of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill, which was prepared by my Department and approved by Government for drafting in December 2006. These proposals take account of the difficulties that affected previous attempts to introduce such a scheme in areas such as the management of apartment complexes, insurance, the cost of maintenance and the transfer of legal title. Our proposals are based on the long-standing arrangements in the private sector for the ownership and management of multi-unit residential developments. The transition from a rented social housing apartment complex to a mixed tenure of privately-owned and social-rented accommodation adds an extra dimension to the legal and practical problems that can arise in private apartment complexes.
Working with the Attorney General's Office, we have made progress in identifying and dealing with the complex issues involved, so that the necessary statutory framework can be developed. My Department has also engaged external advisers to assist in developing the appropriate model and we are working with relevant local authorities through a working group specifically established on the tenant purchase of apartments.
I expect that the draft Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill will be submitted to Government shortly for approval for publication. While, at this stage, all of the legal issues involved in the tenant purchase of apartments have not been fully addressed, I anticipate that the proposals on the matter will have been fully developed in time for consideration during the Bill's passage through the Oireachtas in the next session. In overall terms, I believe that the Bill will be recognised as a major contribution to reform of the social housing sector.
365 Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the extent to which he proposes to fund the capital housing programme proposed by Kildare County Council in 2008 excluding provisions for voluntary or private housing agencies; the number of houses expected to be provided under this heading; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28247/08]
View answerA total of €45,450,000 has been allocated to Kildare County Council for the supply of social housing in 2008, which is broken down as follows:
|
Local Authority |
MainAllocation |
Traveller Accommodation |
Total |
|
Kildare County Council |
€45,000,000 |
€450,000 |
€45,450,000 |
In addition, a further €13m has been allocated under the Capital Loan and Subsidy Scheme to support activity by the Voluntary and Co-operative Housing sector in County Kildare in 2008.
This allocation took into account the housing need figures for Kildare County Council and the discussions between the authority and my Department in the context of the latest round of Housing Action Plan meetings with housing authorities.
In 2008 it is anticipated that Kildare County Council will achieve 78 starts and 318 completions under its construction and acquisitions programme.
