Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 4 December 2013
117. Deputy Brendan Ryan asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the financial provision that has been made by his Department to provide social housing in the 2014 budget; and if he will provide a breakdown of that figure for the various types of provision. [52170/13]
View answer118. Deputy Brendan Ryan asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the numbers of social housing that will be provided in 2014 from the budget provision for same; and the expected cost per unit for same. [52171/13]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 117 and 118 together.
My Department’s 2014 Estimate includes a provision in excess of €223 million for capital expenditure and €302 million for current expenditure for housing in 2014. The 2014 capital provision includes €40 million for local authority housing, €40.9 million for voluntary and co-operative housing, €3 million for Social Inclusion, €109.4 million for Regeneration, Remedial Works, Retrofitting and Energy Efficiency and €28.6 million for Private Housing Grants.
In addition to the provision outlined above there were a number of announcements made on Budget Day which enhanced the 2014 allocation. It was announced that an additional €30 million will be invested in local authority housing. Approximately half of this investment will enable the construction of new infill developments in areas with high demand for social housing with the remainder invested in bringing long-term vacant units back into productive use. I intend to announce details shortly of these two measures with a view to having the investment programme up and running as early as possible in 2014. Budget 2014 also introduced a new €10 million fund aimed at resolving unfinished estates where no development bond exists for carrying out essential public works. An additional €10 million was also provided to augment the provision for Private Housing Grants.
The majority of the provision for current expenditure will also be initialised for social housing provision through long term leasing and the Rental Accommodation Scheme. Delivery of social housing is significantly facilitated through these more flexible funding models, but the Government continues to be committed to other funding mechanisms that will increase the supply of permanent new social housing. Such mechanisms include options to purchase, build to lease and the sourcing of loan finance by approved housing bodies for construction and acquisition. In addition, my Department and the Housing Agency are also engaged with NAMA to ensure continued delivery of housing units for social purposes. It is provisionally estimated that in the region of 5,000 units of social housing will be provided in 2014. The final provision for housing for 2014 will be contained in the Revised Estimates Volume which is due to be published very shortly.
