Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 15 June 2016
113. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he has or when he will approve an application by Galway City Council for additional funding for additional technical staff in its housing department, given the urgency to recruit additional technical staff and to progress construction of extension works to local authority houses in 2016; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16326/16]
View answerUnder section 159 of the Local Government Act 2001, each Chief Executive is responsible for the staffing and organisational arrangements necessary for carrying out the functions of the local authorities for which he or she is responsible. My Department works closely with all local authorities in relation to their overall resource requirements, including staffing, to ensure their capacity and preparedness for delivery of the ambitious targets set under the Social Housing Strategy 2020.
My Department has received 18 housing-related staffing applications from Galway City Council since 2014. All of these posts have been sanctioned except for 1 which was received on 10 June last and is under consideration.
To support the early ramping up by local authorities of their social housing programmes as envisaged in the Strategy, Circular Housing 35/2015, of 29 October 2015, advised local authorities of new arrangements in relation to the recoupment of administration and other costs associated with new build social housing projects.
All funding due to Galway City Council under the Housing Capital Programme is being paid as soon as it is claimed by the Council.
