Seán Fleming
Question:611. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the position regarding housing in County Carlow (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5398/18]
View answerTuesday, 6 February 2018
Questions (611)
Written answers
Through the supports made available from my Department under Rebuilding Ireland, funding is available to all local authorities to deliver additional social housing stock through new construction projects and through the acquisition of new and previously owned houses/apartments for social housing use.
Provisional details on social housing delivery in 2017, including acquisitions, were published on 15 January 2018 and are available on my Department’s website at the following link: http://www.housing.gov.ie/housing/rebuilding-ireland/social-housing-delivery-2017-ministers-statement.
A breakdown of these numbers across all local authority areas for 2017 will be published on my Department's website following completion of the necessary validation process. In the meantime, details in respect of acquisitions made by each local authority up to the end of quarter 3 of 2017 are currently published and available at the following link:
http://www.housing.gov.ie/housing/social-housing/social-and-affordble/overall-social-housing-provision .
Details on the number of units acquired under Part V agreements to end 2016 are available at the following link:
http://www.housing.gov.ie/housing/statistics/affordable-housing/affordable-housing-and-part-v-statistics .
While delivery in 2018 will have a greater focus on new builds rather than acquisitions, the latter remains an important source of new social housing supply and funding remains available to support this activity. Decisions as to the type and location of properties to be acquired are a matter for individual local authorities, having regard to the nature and priority of their housing lists. However, it is important that local authorities are selective in such actions so as to avoid, for example, impacting disproportionately on the private housing market.
As regards the number of social housing developments approved for Carlow, the latest construction status report setting out the position at end quarter 3 2017, which is available at the following link, http://rebuildingireland.ie/news/quarter-3-social-housing-construction-status-report/ , details 21 projects that were completed, on site or undergoing planning and design. These projects will deliver in the region of 278 units, including two single rural dwellings.