Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 25 April 2023
340. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if additional details will be provided on the housing in situ scheme for counties Cavan and Monaghan; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19446/23]
View answerUnder Housing for All, the Government will deliver 47,600 new build social homes and 3,500 social homes through long-term leasing in the period 2022-2026. Our clear focus is to increase the stock of social housing through new build projects delivered by local authorities and Approved Housing Bodies (AHBs).
For 2023, the Government has agreed that there will be increased provision for social housing acquisitions and my Department will fund local authorities to acquire up to 1,500 social homes and my Department will keep this number under review. The additional acquisitions will be focused on properties where a tenant in receipt of social housing supports has received a Notice of Termination due to the landlord’s intention to sell the property. My Department issued a circular letter to all local authorities in March, setting out details of these arrangements. I have requested local authority chief executives to be proactive in this area.
Local authorities have delegated sanction to deliver the 1,300 additional acquisitions, subject to those acquisitions being within Acquisition Cost Guidelines issued by the Department. However, my Department will also consider proposals for acquisitions where the cost exceeds the costs set out in the Guidelines. Cavan and Monaghan have an initial allocation to acquire 10 social houses each and this number may be increased if necessary.
My Department publishes comprehensive programme level statistics on a quarterly basis on social housing delivery activity in all local authorities, including information on social housing acquisitions. This data is available until the end of 2022 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/.
