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Rental Sector

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 25 May 2021

Tuesday, 25 May 2021

Questions (299)

Eoin Ó Broin

Question:

299. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of properties that have been acquired that were once listed on a website (details supplied) and other short-term letting websites since July 2020 as reported in an article. [28355/21]

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Written answers

The “Call for Housing 2020” was launched on 21 July 2020 as a short-term intervention to stimulate interest in social housing delivery, through acquisitions and leasing, from opportunities arising in the property market. The campaign has been run on behalf of my Department by the Housing Agency, in consultation with the local authorities.

Up to 25 May 2021, the total number of properties that were offered to the Housing Agency for sale was 311. 42 of these properties were also put forward for leasing, and a further 138 were offered only under leasing/Rental Accommodation Scheme arrangements.

Of those properties offered for sale, 45 have had bids accepted and have progressed, 30 of which have closed. A number of properties submitted to the Housing Agency are being pursued by local authorities and approved housing bodies independently.

This measure was specifically developed as a temporary intervention in the context of addressing urgent Covid-19 related housing needs. My Department is currently considering the appropriate duration of the measure.

As the identification and selection of properties to be acquired as new social homes is delegated to local authorities, my Department does not record the number of such acquisitions that the 31 authorities undertake that were previously rented privately, but this information may be available from the local authorities themselves.

Finally, my Department publishes comprehensive programme level statistics on social housing delivery activity. This data includes details on the number of social houses acquired and is published on the statistics page of my Department’s website at the following link:

www.gov.ie/en/collection/6060e-overall-social-housing-provision/

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