Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 17 June 2014
101. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will provide an updated report on the way critical shortages in social housing supply are being addressed by his Department. [25419/14]
View answerUnder Action 8 of Construction 2020 – A Strategy for a Renewed Construction Sector, a Social Housing Strategy is to be published by Q3 2014. To assist in the development of the Social Housing Strategy, the Housing Agency has invited submissions by 31 July 2014. This invitation of submissions is available at the following weblink:
http://www.housing.ie/News/Current-News/Invitation-for-Submissions-Preparation-of-a-Social.aspx.
With the benefit of the recent injection of €46m for social housing, on top of the original housing budget of over half a billion euro, I now expect the final output across all social housing programmes for 2014 to be in the region of 6,000 new housing units. The number and method of delivery of social housing units in future years is determined in the course of the annual Estimates process and the Social Housing Strategy now in preparation will inform the upcoming Estimates discussions.
It is clear that the present and foreseeable economic context in which we must address social housing need is such that innovative, and indeed challenging, solutions must be found which will harness new funding streams. While the local authorities will continue to have the lead role in addressing social housing need, in their capacity as statutory housing authorities, the growing role of the not-for-profit sector, as represented by the Approved Housing Bodies, and other potential investors must also be further developed. My intention is that the Social Housing Strategy will be both challenging and innovative, and will provide the basis for an enhanced approach to social housing provision in Ireland. It will contain clear measurable actions that are to be taken to increase the supply of social housing and, most importantly, reduce the number of people on waiting lists over the next five years.
Action 9 of Construction 2020 provides that the Review of Part V of the Planning and Development Acts, will be completed in Q2 of 2014. It is anticipated that any legislative changes required on foot of the review will be incorporated into the General Scheme of a Planning Bill, which ch is currently in preparation. Action 1 of Construction 2020 provides that a National Framework for Housing Supply be established on a statutory footing with an annual National Statement of Projected Housing Supply and Demand published every June. Implementation of these Actions is a priority for my Department.
