Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 18 April 2023
749. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if any further recommendations will be put in place to make sure that approved housing bodies are not in competition with one another (details supplied); and if the State has carried out research in relation to same. [16327/23]
View answerApproved Housing Bodies (AHBs) are independent, not-for-profit organisations. They provide affordable rented housing for people who cannot afford to pay private sector rents or buy their own homes; or for particular groups, such as older people or homeless people.
Local authorities are the statutory housing authorities for their respective areas and, as such, are responsible for coordinating local social housing activity. This includes responsibility for ensuring that competition for the acquisition of new social housing by the various delivery bodies, including between AHBs, does not arise.
Neither myself as Minister, nor my Department, is aware of the situation described being reported by local authorities or AHBs. Furthermore, it is my belief that good cooperation exists locally between AHBs regarding the acquisition, and provision, of social housing.
Cooperation in this regard is assisted by the AHB Forum, which is chaired by The Housing Agency and brings together representatives from my Department, local authorities and AHBs. The AHB Forum exists to contribute to the delivery of social housing and it's work includes issuing communications locally to avoid competitions between all delivery bodies, including AHBs.
Under Housing for All, AHBs are tasked with the delivery of 40% of the new social homes targeted for delivery in the period 2022-2026. I am confident that AHBs will continue to work together locally, and with the relevant local authorities, to continue to supply good quality social homes and ensure this target is met.
