Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 8 December 2022
232. Deputy Rose Conway-Walsh asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of accessible units built for persons with disabilities in County Mayo in 2022; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [61467/22]
View answerHousing for All is the Government’s plan to increase the supply of housing to an average of 33,000 per year over the next decade. Housing for All is supported by an investment package of over €4bn per annum, through an overall combination of €12bn in direct Exchequer funding, €3.5bn in funding through the Land Development Agency and €5bn funding through the Housing Finance Agency.
In January 2022, I launched the second joint National Housing Strategy for Disabled People (NHSDP) 2022-2027. This strategy operates within the framework of Housing for All which is committed to ensuring that affordable, quality housing with an appropriate mix of housing design types provided within social housing, including universally designed units, is available to everyone in Irish society, including those with disabilities and older people.
My Department publishes comprehensive programme level statistics on a quarterly basis on social housing delivery activity. Data to the end of Quarter 2 2022 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/ . While the data does not include specific details on the numbers of units delivered or acquired on behalf of people with disabilities, this data may be available from Mayo County Council directly.
The Capital Assistance Scheme (CAS), provides that funding of up to 100% of project costs may be advanced by local authorities to Approved Housing Bodies to provide accommodation for priority categories on the housing waiting list including elderly, persons/families who are homeless and people with a disability. No CAS units have been built in Q1 or Q2 2022 in Co. Mayo for people with a disability. However in collaboration with an approved housing body, Mayo County Council have acquired five CAS units in Q1 and Q2 in 2022 to provide homes for people leaving care settings and the necessary care takers/support workers.
