Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 11 July 2023
403. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the average length of time spent on the social housing list in Cork city; the plans to reduce these times; the total number on the social housing list for each of the past 12 months and each month of 2023 to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34071/23]
View answerMy Department does not hold data in relation to the average length of time spent on the social housing list. However, details on the number of households qualified for social housing support in each local authority administrative area is provided in the annual statutory Summary of Social Housing Assessments (SSHA). The most recently published summary for all counties, conducted in November 2022, is available at: www.gov.ie/en/collection/62486-summary-of-social-housing-assessments/.
There were 3,886 households qualified for social housing in Cork City whose need was unmet in 2022.
Under 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).
Earlier this year, I announced further measures to increase the supply of social homes including:
• an increase in the number of social housing acquisitions to 1,500 in 2023 to reduce the number of households at risk of homelessness;
• an additional 1,000 homes through Targeted Leasing initiatives in 2023 and 2024; and
• the amendment of the Capital Advance Leasing Facility used by Approved Housing Bodies (AHBs) to assist them in their efforts in delivering social homes
My Department publishes comprehensive programme level statistics on a quarterly basis on social housing delivery activity. This data 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/. This provides information for a number of categories of social housing delivery in terms of the various delivery streams and also contains the targets for each local authority during each year of the programme.
In addition, Cork City Council’s Housing Delivery Action Plan, which sets out details of social and affordable housing delivery in the period 2022-2026, is available on the Council’s website at cork-city-council-housing-delivery-action-plan.pdf (corkcity.ie).
While the oversight and management of the housing waiting list, including the allocation of tenancies, is a matter solely for the local authority, I expect the delivery of these homes to contribute significantly to meeting the accommodation needs of households on the Council's waiting list.
