Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 24 June 2021
247. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of applicants currently on each local authority housing waiting list by county; the number who are currently accommodated through HAP or rent supplement; if such applicants are eligible to be rehoused or to qualify for local authority or Rebuilding Ireland loans; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34191/21]
View answer250. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the extent to which the numbers on local authority housing waiting lists have fluctuated in the past four years to date excluding those facilitated on HAP or rent support; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34194/21]
View answer253. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of applicants on the local authority housing waiting lists; the estimated time to meet their housing requirements on the basis of progress to date in the past five years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34197/21]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 247, 250 and 253 together.
Details on the number of households qualified for social housing support in each local authority administrative area are provided in the annual statutory Summary of Social Housing Assessments (SSHA).
The most recent summary, conducted in November 2020, shows that 61,880 households were assessed as qualified for and being in need of social housing support. This represents a decrease of 6,813 households or 9.9% on the last assessment in June 2019. Since 2016, the numbers have decreased from 91,600 to 61,880, a reduction of 32.4%.
Below are the links to the summary reports for 2020, 2019, 2018 and 2017 which include the total number of qualified households on the waiting lists nationally and breakdowns by each local authority across a range of categories.
In relation to the number of applicants currently on each local authority waiting list who are currently accommodated through HAP, please note that the key figure reported in the SSHA is referred to as ‘net need’. Net need is the total number of households qualified for social housing support whose need for support is not being met. This total excludes the following households:
- Duplicate applications – Where a household has applied to more than one authority for social housing support, only their first application was included in the count.
- Those in receipt of social housing support—for example, households currently living in local authority rented accommodation, approved housing body accommodation, accommodation provided under the HAP scheme, accommodation provided under the RAS, or accommodation provided under the SHCEP schemes.
- Households on a transfer list—any household that has applied for a transfer from an existing form of social housing support including HAP.
However, acknowledging that some households on the waiting list, who avail of HAP, have expectations that they would receive a more traditional form of social housing support, recipients can avail of a move to other forms of social housing through a transfer list.
Details on the number of applicants on each local authority waiting list whose main need for social housing support is that they are dependent on Rent Supplement can be found at tables 2.5 and A1.5 of the report.
In relation to the estimated time to meet applicants housing requirements, information of this type is not held by my Department. However, 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.
SSHA 2020 Report
www.gov.ie/en/publication/970ea-summary-of-social-housing-assessments-2020-key-findings/#:~:text=The%20Summary%20of%20Social%20Housing,is%20not%20currently%20being%20met.
SSHA Report 2019
www.gov.ie/en/publication/29da7-summary-of-social-housing-assessments-2019-key-findings/
SSHA Report 2018
www.gov.ie/en/publication/6fab90-summary-of-social-housing-assessments-2018-key-findings/
SSHA Report 2017
www.gov.ie/en/publication/6205a6-summary-of-social-housing-assessments-2017/
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.
In relation to affordable measures, the Affordable Housing Bill, currently before the Oireachtas, includes provisions to underpin three schemes delivering on the Government’s commitment to prioritise the increased supply of affordable homes through (1) affordable homes for purchase delivered by local authorities, (2) a new affordable purchase shared equity scheme for private homes, and (3) the introduction of a new form of tenure in Cost Rental.
Budget 2021 allocated €75 million for the Affordable Purchase Shared Equity Scheme, one of the aforementioned provisions. It will enable first-time buyers to buy a new home, much sooner than would otherwise be the case, by bridging the gap between what people have and the price of the new home they want, while also building confidence in the construction sector to increase much need housing supply.
Extensive engagement has been undertaken with key stakeholders to ensure the optimum design of the Scheme, and significant feedback has been factored in. Work on the final design of the Scheme is ongoing, in advance of its introduction later this year.
In relation to affordable housing supports more generally, measures such as the Help to Buy Scheme and the Rebuilding Ireland Home Loan, are available to eligible purchasers nationally to make home ownership more affordable.
An enhanced Help to Buy scheme was announced as part of the €7 billion July stimulus package, which was extended to December 2021 as part of Budget 2021. This allows first-time buyers purchasing a newly-built home – or building one themselves – to claim back up to €30,000 paid in income tax and DIRT on bank deposit interest over the last four years.
The Rebuilding Ireland Home Loan is a Government-backed mortgage which is for first-time-buyers nationwide to purchase a new or second-hand home or to self-build. This scheme offers loans on competitive terms to those who are unable to secure a sufficient commercial bank loan.
As part of Budget 2019, €310 million was made available to service local authority land for the delivery of affordable housing under the Serviced Sites Fund (SSF). The SSF provides for key enabling infrastructure requirements that will help unlock publicly-owned lands specifically for the provision of affordable homes to buy or rent. This fund sub-vents the cost of facilitating infrastructure, with a current maximum SSF funding amount of €50,000 available per affordable home. This sum is comprised of €44,500 (or 89%) Exchequer contribution and a €5,500 (or 11%) local authority contribution. On this basis, at least 6,200 more affordable homes, to buy or rent, can be facilitated by this measure.
To date, funding support of €200 million has been allocated to enable delivery of over 4,200 affordable homes for purchase or rent. €50 million has been allocated to the SSF in 2021.
