Social and Affordable Housing Provision

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 16 April 2013

Tuesday, 16 April 2013

Questions (806)

Simon Harris

Question:

806. Deputy Simon Harris asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the number of social and affordable houses that were provided as part of development conditions where a developer had to build social and affordable housing or contribute to the cost of such in order to receive permission to develop private housing from its introduction in law to the present; if he will provide a breakdown of these numbers by local authority; the number of such houses that were due to be built and remain not built; the actions that should be taken to pursue this liability; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16874/13]

Written answers

Minister of State at the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government

A range of statistical information on the numbers of social and affordable housing units provided by local authorities can be found on my Department’s website at www.environ.ie.

My Department has issued guidance to local authorities on the handling of conditions in respect of Part V of the Planning and Development Act 2000 on a number of occasions, regarding inter alia the use of Part V funding and lands, the sale of affordable housing units, measures to deal with unsold affordable housing units and options available to comply with Part V requirements.

While my Department has advised local authorities to seek to discharge Part V obligations through mechanisms that place no additional funding pressures on the authorities the working out of these obligations is ultimately a matter for individual local authorities to pursue having regard to the legislation.