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Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Thursday, 1 Oct 1998

Vol. 494 No. 3

Written Answers - Local Authority Housing.

Gay Mitchell

Ceist:

232 Mr. G. Mitchell asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government the figures for each administrative area and a total for the whole country for each year from 1970 to date in 1998 and projected up to 2005 for the number of local authority houses built, the number of local authority housing units built, the number of houses purchased for each local authority use; and the average cost of construction of each local authority house; the number of applications for local authority housing received; the number of applications for local authority transfers received; the number on the waiting list for housing by each local authority; the number on the waiting list for transfers by each local authority; the number of applications received and not yet processed onto the housing or transfer lists by each local authority; the number of successful housing applications; the number of successful transfer applications; the steps, if any, he intends to take to deal with the current housing crisis; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18181/98]

The statistical information sought by the Deputy in relation to the number of local authority houses built and purchased, the numbers on local authority waiting lists and the number of lettings by authorities in the period 1970 to 1998 is, to the extent available, included in the Housing Statistics Bulletin for the years 1976 to 1998, copies of which are available in the Oireachtas Library. Information requested which is not included in the published statistics but is available in the Department will be compiled and forwarded to the Deputy as soon as possible. Information on the number of applications for housing received but not yet processed by local authorities, and on the number of tenants who have applied to local authorities for transfer to other dwellings is not available in the Department.

Projections of the kind referred to are not generally made by local authorities. Authorities are, however, obliged by section 9 of the Housing Act, 1988 to carry out assessments of housing need at least every three years and the next such assessment will take place in March 1999. In relation to immediate requirements the Action Programme for the Millennium sets out the Government's commitment to a continuing house construction programme by local authorities and voluntary groups. A programme of 3,900 housing starts and acquisitions has been notified to local authorities for 1998. These, together with output from the complementary social housing measures and vacancies occurring in the existing local authority housing stock, will enable some 10,000 house-holds to be catered for in 1998. Improvements in the terms of the social housing schemes are expected to increase housing output from these measures. I will seek increased resources for social housing in the 1999 Estimates.

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