Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 24 March 2021
597. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the funding provided to each approved housing body in 2020, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13868/21]
View answer598. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the funding provided to an association (details supplied) in each of the years from 2016 to 2020 and to date in 2021; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13869/21]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 597 and 598 together.
There are a range of funding and delivery mechanisms available to local authorities to deliver social housing supports in partnership with Approved Housing Bodies (AHBs). The funding is provided by my Department directly to local authorities, who in turn, advance the funding to the AHBs, as appropriate.
The organisation detailed by the Deputy is an Approved Housing Body and receives funding from my Department, through the local authorities, under a range of capital and current programmes.
The table below outlines details of funding provided over the period 2016 to end February 2021. However, it should be noted that the recoupment of monies paid under the Rental Accommodation Scheme (RAS) are not included. A breakdown of RAS payments by local authorities to individual AHBs is not held by my Department, as the managment of individual properties is a matter for each individual local authority, in accordance with the contractual arrangements entered into in respect of each property. Additionally, in respect of homeless expenditure, my Department does not fund any homeless accommodation or services directly but provides funding to housing authorities towards the overall costs incurred in the provision of homeless accommodation. Housing authorities may also incur expenditure on homeless related services outside of the funding arrangements with my Department. Therefore, the amount of funding granted by housing authorities to individual homeless services is a matter for the relevant housing authority. Financial reports from each of the homeless regions, setting out expenditure on homeless services for 2016 - 2019 are published on my Department’s website at the following link:
https://www.gov.ie/en/collection/80ea8-homelessness-data/#local-authority-regional-financial-reports
|
2016€m |
2017€m |
2018€m |
2019€m |
2020€m |
2021 (end Feb)€m |
|
12.1 |
17.9 |
45.8 |
64.1 |
92.6 |
13.5 |
The table above includes funding provided in respect of the Capital Loan and Subsidy Scheme (CLSS) and it should be noted that the vast majority of funding provided to local authorities under the scheme relates to the repayment of loan charges (principle and interest) to the Housing Finance Agency, in respect of loans advanced to the AHBs for their delivery of new social housing under the CLSS. The balance of the funding provided to local authorities, and in turn to AHBs, is in respect of a management and maintenance allowance for the upkeep, by the AHBs, of the CLSS funded properties, in line with the terms of scheme.
In respect of AHB funding in 2020, the funding provided to each individual AHB is not readily available within my Department. Currently there are 495 AHBs listed in the Department’s register of AHBs. The oversight of AHBs is conducted through the Voluntary Regulation Code (the Code), "Building for the Future, A Voluntary Regulation Code for Approved Housing Bodies in Ireland" underpinned by three standards - Financial, Governance and Performance Standards. The Code is overseen by an Interim Regulatory Committee supported by a Regulation Office based in the Housing Agency. In accordance with Department Circular 15/2016, only those AHBs that have signed up to the Code and have undergone a satisfactory assessment as part of the assessment process by the Regulation Office are considered eligible for funding. Currently 286 AHBs are signed up to the Code.
Overall, €514 million was provided by my Department to the local authorities in respect of a range of AHB funded schemes in 2020. In respect of 2020 homeless expenditure, the financial reports for 2020 are currently being collated and will be published shortly on my Department's website.
