I propose to take Questions Nos. 484 to 486, inclusive, together.
The Housing Forum, as reconstituted under Towards 2016 in December 2006, has met on six occasions and I am arranging to have the minutes of those meetings, already adopted by the members, placed in the Oireachtas Library.
The Forum provides an opportunity for its members to contribute constructively to ongoing housing policy formulation and implementation. It also has a monitoring role in relation to activity on housing programmes. The Forum does not produce specific reports or papers; however, progress reports are prepared periodically for meetings of the Forum and I am arranging to have copies of these reports placed in the Oireachtas Library also.
Schedules showing the composition and current membership of the Forum are attached. It is entirely a matter for each of the bodies participating in the Forum — the social partnership pillars, Government Departments and Agencies — to nominate their own representatives. Meetings are chaired by me in my capacity as Minister for Housing and Local Services and are arranged after consultation with the members. The members are also entitled to put forward items for inclusion on meeting agendas.
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Composition of the Housing Forum
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Chair
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Minister for Housing and Local Services
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Social Partners
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Employers Pillar
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Two nominees
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Trade Union Pillar
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Two nominees
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Community and Voluntary Pillar
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Two nominees
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Farming Pillar
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Two nominees
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Environment Pillar
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Two nominees
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Government Departments
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Dept. of an Taoiseach
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One nominee
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Dept. of Finance
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One nominee
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Dept. of Social and Family Affairs
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One nominee
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Dept. of Justice, Equality and Law Reform
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One nominee
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Dept. of Health and Children
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One nominee
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Dept. of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government
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One nominee
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Other Agencies
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Local Authority Housing Practitioners Network
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One nominee
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City & County Managers Association (Standing Committee-Housing)
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One nominee
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City & County Managers Association (Community, Social and Economic Development, Committee)
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One nominee
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Affordable Homes Partnership
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Chief Executive Officer
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Centre for Housing Research
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Director
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Voluntary & Co-operative Housing Sector
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ICSH — one nominee
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NABCo — one nominee
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Secretariat Housing Policy and Finance Section
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Membership of the Housing Forum
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Chair
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Michael Finneran, T.D., Minister for Housing and Local Services
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Social Partners
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Employers Pillar
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IBEC
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Mr Fergal O’Brien
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Construction Industry Federation
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Mr Hubert Fitzpatrick
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Trade Union Pillar
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Mr Fergus Whelan
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Irish Congress of Trade Unions
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Mr Des Geraghty
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Community and Voluntary Pillar
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Ms Joanne McCarthy
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Disability Federation of Ireland
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Mr Patrick Burke
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Simon Community
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(Alternate) Fr Sean Healy (CORI)
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Farming Pillar
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ICOS
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Mr Seamus O’Donohoe
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IFA
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Mr Gerry Gunning
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Environment Pillar
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Ms. Emer O’ Siochru
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Mr Michael Ewing
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Government Departments
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Dept. of an Taoiseach
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Ms Sharon Finegan
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(Alternate) Mr John Callinan
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Dept. of Finance
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Ms Breda Kenny
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Dept. of Social and Family Affairs
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Ms Ursula Gilhawley
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Dept. of Justice, Equality and Law Reform
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vacant
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Dept. of Health and Children
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Ms Mary Reilly
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Dept. of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government
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Mr Philip Nugent
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Other Agencies
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Local Authority Housing Practitioners Network
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Ms Anne Marie Walsh
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City & County Managers Association (Housing Committee)
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Mr Peter Carey (Laois County Council)
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City & County Managers Association (Community Committee)
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Mr Declan Nelson (Monaghan County Council)
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Affordable Homes Partnership
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Mr John O’Connor
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Centre for Housing Research
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Mr David Silke
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Voluntary & Co-operative Housing Sector
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Irish Council for Social Housing
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Mr Donal McManus
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NABCo
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Mr Bernard Thompson
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