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Local Authority Housing Application Numbers

Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 11 July 2013

Thursday, 11 July 2013

Questions (162, 163)

Bernard Durkan

Question:

162. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the total number of families currently registered on local authority housing lists; the extent to which rent support in lieu of rehousing continues to remain a budgetary matter; the extent to which, in the short to medium term, the local authority house building programme is likely to feature as a means of reducing this expenditure; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34106/13]

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Bernard Durkan

Question:

163. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will indicate, by each local authority, the number of housing applicants for local authority housing currently registered; his plans to address the issue; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34107/13]

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Written answers

I propose to take Questions Nos. 162 and 163 together.

My Department does not hold information on the number of applicant households for social housing support, or on the number of households on local authority waiting lists. These figures fluctuate as households are allocated housing and new households apply for support.

In accordance with Section 21 of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2009, I directed all housing authorities to prepare a summary of social housing assessments carried out in their areas on 7 May 2013. A report on the results will be published in the autumn and this will provide an important insight into the level and type of need for social housing support across the country. The results of the assessment carried out in 2011 are available on my Department’s website www.environ.ie and the Housing Agency’s website www.housing.ie.

The Government’s housing policy statement, published in June 2011, clearly identifies that the priority for Government will be to meet the most acute needs of households applying for social housing support. I am determined to ensure that the social housing programme optimises the delivery of social housing and the return for the resources invested. To achieve this, it is essential that we tailor the use of available Exchequer supports to prevailing conditions and explore the full range of solutions to address housing needs.

The financial parameters within which we will be operating for the coming years rule out a return to large capital funded construction programmes. The Government is committed to responding more quickly and on a larger scale to social housing support needs through a variety of mechanisms, including through increased provision of social housing. In July 2012 I announced details of a three-year funding programme of €100 million to deliver some 800 new units of voluntary and local authority owned social housing. This includes a construction programme for 185 local authority houses and 111 houses for special needs accommodation, for the Approved Housing Bodies. Delivery of social housing will be significantly facilitated through more flexible funding models such as the Rental Accommodation Scheme and leasing but the Government is also committed to developing other funding mechanisms that will increase the supply of permanent new social housing. Such mechanisms will include options to purchase, build to lease and the sourcing of loan finance by approved housing bodies for construction and acquisition. There is also obvious potential, across a range of housing programmes, for the Government’s objective of sourcing and providing suitable residential units for use as social housing to be aligned with the commercial objectives of the National Asset Management Agency (NAMA). My Department and the Housing Agency are engaged with NAMA to ensure the identification of suitable housing units for social purposes and this process is on-going.

In spite of the challenging circumstances within which local authorities must operate it is provisionally estimated that in the region of 5,000 units will be provided for social housing in 2013.

The payment of rent supplement is a matter for my colleague the Minister for Social Protection.

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