Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 9 May 2018
283. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government if his Department has engaged consultants, other outside bodies or persons to conduct research, provide advice or assistance on the issue of the recent EUROSTAT designation of approved housing bodies; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20343/18]
View answerTo date, my Department has not engaged external consultants or outside bodies to undertake research or analysis on this issue. However, I am aware that the AHB sector have independently engaged their own research into the matter, and my Department is evaluating the work that has been undertaken in that regard.
As the Deputy will be aware, the Minister for Finance has recently published the Draft Stability Programme Update for 2018. This included an analysis of the financial impact of the EUROSTAT decision to reclassify the majority of Tier 3 Approved Housing Bodies (AHBs) as part of the local government sector. This was an important first step in the Government's assessment as to the impact of the EUROSTAT decision.
Following the completion of this analysis, which has defined the scope of the financial implications of this decision for the Exchequer, my Department will be engaging closely with the Department of Finance and Public Expenditure and Reform to ensure that AHBs can continue to fulfil their full potential in the delivery of the targets set out in the Rebuilding Ireland Action Plan. In that context, arrangements are being made for further discussions on the next stage of this process, which will take place in the coming weeks.
The Government continues to see a central role for the voluntary housing sector in contributing to delivery of social housing under Rebuilding Ireland, and is committed to using all mechanisms and schemes, including through the AHB sector, to ensure that we maintain the momentum towards meeting the ambitious 50,000 social housing target under the Action Plan.
