Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 28 July 2020
354. Deputy Johnny Guirke asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the maximum, minimum and average applicant wait time on the local authority housing waiting lists in each of the years 2015 to 2019 and to date in 2020 in counties Meath and Westmeath, respectively and by housing type, that is, 1 bed, 2 bed and so on, in tabular form. [18780/20]
View answerDetails on the number of households qualified for social housing support in each local authority area is provided in the statutory Summary of Social Housing Assessments (SSHA). The SSHA has been conducted on an annual basis since 2016, prior to which it was carried out once every three years, with the last Summary under this approach having taken place in 2013.
The most recent summary, conducted in June 2019, shows that 68,693 households were assessed as qualified for and being in need of social housing support. This represents a decrease of 3,165 households or 4.4% on the last assessment in June 2018. Since 2016, the numbers have decreased from 91,600 to 68,693, a reduction of 25%.
Below is the link to the summary report for 2019 which includes breakdowns by each local authority, across a range of categories. Details on the length of time spent on the record of qualified households (waiting lists) can be found at tables 2.8 and A1.8 of the report. In relation to the questions posed by the Deputy regarding the maximum, minimum and average time spent on the housing list by by housing type, information of this specific type is not held by my Department. It should be noted that the SSHA is a point in time snapshot of the demand for social housing support in each local authority area and does not necessarily reflect the dynamic nature of entry to and exit from the housing waiting lists.
Tables 2.4 and A1.4 provide details on household size. It should be noted that the category “Household Composition” in the previous reports, is replaced in the 2019 report by the “Household Size” profile category which provides more granular level of detail regarding the number of persons in each household type.
Detailed information in relation to each local authority waiting list, including Meath and Westmeath, can be found in the Appendices to the SSHA.
Report 2019
https://www.housing.gov.ie/sites/default/files/publications/files/sha_summary_2019_dec_2019_web_1.pdf.
Numbers for those local authorities for 2016, 2017 and 2018 are provided in the corresponding tables of the respective reports for those years, the links for which are provided below.
Report 2016
https://www.housing.gov.ie/sites/default/files/publications/files/summary_of_social_housing_assessments_2016.pdf.
Report 2017
https://www.housing.gov.ie/sites/default/files/publications/files/sha_summary_2017.pdf.
Report 2018
https://www.housing.gov.ie/sites/default/files/publications/files/summary_of_social_housing_assessments_2018_-_key_findings.pdf.
As there was no SSHA carried out in 2015, my Department does not have data for that year.
With regards to the SSHA process for 2020, given the impact of the Covid-19 crisis on local authorities and nature of the work involved in conducting the SSHA, it has been decided to defer the commencement of the SSHA process to allow local authorities to continue to focus their resources on immediate priorities. However, recognising that the SSHA is a very important part of the evidence base for housing policy at both local authority and national level, the deferment will be reviewed periodically and it is intended that it will be commenced as soon as is practicable.
