Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 15 July 2021
215. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the average cost to the Exchequer of a social home delivered through the housing agency’s rolling €70 million vacant homes acquisition fund in the past 12 months. [38829/21]
View answerAn acquisitions fund of €70 million, which is a revolving fund was established with effect from 1 January 2017 with the objective of acquiring some 1,600 units over the period to 2021 for social housing use. This has enabled the Housing Agency to actively engage with banks and investment companies in relation to the acquisition of vacant properties. The fund is replenished by the Housing Agency through the sale of units primarily to the Approved Housing Body (AHB) sector which are utilising the Capital Advance Leasing Facility (CALF) and the funds received are then recycled back into the fund for future acquisitions.
To the end of March 2021, the Housing Agency have delivered 809 properties using the Fund. In the period from 1 July 2020 to 31 March 2021, the Housing Agency delivered 46 properties with an average spend per unit of €229,022.
