Vol. 508 No. 3
57 Mr. Gilmore asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government the number of applicants for local authority housing; when he will publish the results of the assessment of housing need which was carried out at the beginning of 1999; the way in which he will provide housing for all those on the local authority lists; the date in this regard; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18758/99]
The results of the assessments of housing needs undertaken by local authorities at the end of March last, indicate a total of 39,176 households in need of local authority housing compared with 27,427 in March 1996. In addition, the housing needs of a further 6,400 households were considered by local authorities as being most suitably met by more measures, including voluntary housing, rent supplementation and other social housing schemes. Due to the importance of these assessment figures, I have released the results of the assessment today in advance of their normal publication in the Department's housing statistics bulletin later this year as was the practice with previous assessments. The tables and associated commentary are being placed in the Oireachtas Library today.
I am very conscious of the increased level of social housing need and considerable priority is being afforded to tackling this need. The Government has already taken action in advance of the results of the assessment. Increased resources are being provided for the local authority housing programme with 4,500 house starts or purchases provided for in 1999. The first ever multi-annual local authority housing programme will commence next year and provide 22,000 houses over the next four years. I am also committed to expanding voluntary housing output to deliver up to 4,000 additional units per annum over coming years.
I will shortly determine allocations to individual authorities for the multi-annual housing programme and I will take the results of the assessment into consideration. The early notification of the multi-annual allocations will enable authorities to produce a streamlined delivery of housing output over the next four years and provide a better and more effective mechanism of social housing delivery.
I expect that the local authority housing programme, together with the output from the complementary social housing measures and vacancies occurring in the existing housing stock, will enable the housing needs of up to 10,000 households to be catered for in 1999 and that the increased social housing output over the next four years will meet the needs of more than 50,000 households.
Do I understand correctly from the Minister's figures that between the 39,000 households on the list and the 6,000 for whom other measures are prescribed, there are 45,000 applicants in need of housing? Second, I put it to the Minister that the housing programme he has just indicated over a four year period will do no more than house half of that number. Third, since this assessment was carried out six months ago, housing lists have grown by between 20 per cent and 25 per cent in most local authority areas.
The results show that 39,176 households assessed were in need of local authority housing and this compares with 27,427 in 1996. I mentioned that 6,402 households were considered suitable for other social housing measures, including rent supplements operated by the health boards. That figure compares with 6,047 households in 1996, which were similarly assessed. The total figure is 39,176 plus 6,402—
It is 45,000.
—and the figure was 27,500 plus 6,500 in 1996.
Deputy Hayes should not intervene. It is not his Priority Question.
Does the Minister accept that the publication of this assessment is six months overdue? The number of people on the housing list is nothing to smile or laugh about, particularly for the Minister of State, who has primary responsibility for the misery of people waiting on housing lists.
I am talking about six months ago.
In the six months it has taken the Minister of State to publish these figures, does he accept that the number on housing lists has increased by between 20 per cent and 25 per cent and that there are 50,000 applicants for local authority housing, which is the highest figure in the recent history of the State?
I reject absolutely out of hand that there has been any delay.
Six months. How long does it take to count the figures?
The Deputy should wait and listen to the answer.
The Deputy should take his time. There has been absolutely no delay whatsoever. I released the results today and placed them in the Oireachtas Library.
That is some testimony.
The results of the 1996 assessment, which was carried out when the Deputy's friends were in Government, were published on 17 December 1996. I am publishing them almost three months ahead of the previous Government.
There were half the number of people on the housing lists.
The Deputy is embarrassed.
People could afford a house then.
The Deputy is making ridiculous statements that these figures could have been published six months ago. I only received the final figures at the end of last week and I published them as quickly as I could.
What has the Minister of State been doing for the past six months?
I do not know what the Deputy is getting at.
Is the Minister of State in charge of housing?
Making such allegations does not build an extra house for anyone. I outlined the position. The Deputy might have been more fair minded by admitting that I have brought forward the publication of these figures.
How many people are represented by the applications? In other words, how many people are living in overcrowded homes or substandard private rented accommodation or are homeless? How many people are on never ending waiting lists for housing?
2.6 times 45,000.
The time for this Priority Question has expired. We must move on to Question No. 58.
Can I have an answer, please, a Cheann Comhairle? It is a separate question
The Chair has no option but to apply the rules which you, the Members, have instructed me to do.
