Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 17 June 2014
429. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the total estimated number of social houses due to be constructed under the Government's Construction 2020 plans; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25605/14]
View answer443. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will expand on the new national framework for housing supply as introduced in the Construction 2020 plan; the way this will address social housing needs in terms of increasing supply for those who need it; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25488/14]
View answer448. Deputy Joan Collins asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he is making provision to allocate the necessary finance to build a minimum of 10,000 social housing units per annum to go some way to resolving the housing crisis. [22289/14]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 429, 443 and 448 together.
On 14 May 2014, the Government published Construction 2020 – A Strategy for a Renewed Construction Strategy. The Strategy contains 75 Actions in total and my Department, together with the Housing Agency, will be involved in the delivery of over 30 of these Actions. Under Action 8 of Construction 2020, a Social Housing Strategy is to be published by Q3 2014; to assist in its development, the Housing Agency has invited submissions by 31 July 2014. Further information is available at the following web link:
.
http://www.housing.ie/News/Current-News/Invitation-for-Submissions-Preparation-of-a-Social.aspx
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 Strategy will be both challenging and innovative, and will provide the basis for an enhanced approach to social housing provision in Ireland. It with 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, which inter alia deals with affordable housing and social housing gain from private development, 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 is currently in preparation.
With the benefit of the recent injection of €50 million for social housing from the Government’s May 2014 stimulus announcement, on top of the original housing budget of some €587 million, 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 will inform the upcoming Estimates discussions.
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. I have asked the Housing Agency to take the lead in implementing this Action; a Steering Group, including representation from the local government sector, will oversee progress and I will also close monitor progress under this Action.
