Vol. 513 No. 1
76 Mr. Hayes asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government the number of local authority houses to be built or acquired in 2000; the plans, if any, he has to improve the performance of individual local authorities which are unable to build their allocation in a given year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1440/00]
Last November I notified local authorities of their allocations for housing starts for the period 2000-03. I expect that local authorities will commence the construction of, or acquire, in excess of 5,500 houses this year and that the level of house completions, including acquisitions, will be in excess of 4,000 units. All local authorities have been requested to send specific details of their programmes for the year 2000 to my Department by the end of this month and I will then have a clearer indication of the position. Where local authorities did not fulfil their programmes last year I will allow them to carry forward into the current year any uncommenced starts but I will be critically reviewing their capacity to implement increased programmes this year.
When notifying local authorities of their housing start allocations I indicated to them that the purpose of my introducing a multi-annual local authority housing programme was to enable the authorities to produce a streamlined delivery of housing output over the coming four years and a better and more effective mechanism of social housing delivery. Previously local authorities had no assurance as to the level of their programme beyond the current year, which led to inefficiency in terms of timing and scale of contracts and forward planning generally. I have also requested local authorities to front load their programmes as much as possible to meet higher levels of housing need.
I am very conscious of the increased level of social housing need and priority is being given in tackling this need. I expect that total social housing output, taking account of new local authority housing, vacancies arising in the existing housing stock and output from the complementary social-voluntary housing measures will meet the housing needs of some 11,000 households in need of social housing this year and that the increased social housing output over the coming four years will meet the needs of over 50,000 households.
My Department will support and co-operate in every way with local authorities to help them achieve their housing programmes.
Is the Minister seriously informing the House that at a time when, according to his Department's assessment, 49,000 family units – 120,000 men, women and children – are waiting for a local authority house the Government is prepared to put only 5,500 new units into public housing this year? Does the Minister accept that is a woefully inadequate number to meet the existing demand?
The Deputy quoted a figure which, as has been explained on a number of occasions, is not correct. One must take account of the way in which local authorities assess the housing needs of those who apply to them. Local authorities have determined that their needs can be met under the social housing programme generally and headings other than a new local authority house. I am not satisfied with the progress of the local authorities, the voluntary housing programmes or the other schemes in the social housing area. I am continuously encouraging, and am taking measures to encourage, greater output from local authorities and the voluntary sector. There are options other than local authority housing that can be availed of by those in need of social housing but sufficient use is not being made of them. I have set a very high target for the voluntary housing sector over the period of the national plan which, I hope, with the help of the special unit we are setting up, can be achieved. It is a challenge. They will provide homes for those who already qualify for local authority houses.
I thank the Minister for his reply. Last year he set a target of 4,500 new starts. In reply to a parliamentary question I tabled he stated that 3,700 new starts had been delivered in 1999. What does the Minister intend to do about local authority housing departments that are not fulfilling their obligations in terms of building the required number?
It may be unprecedented but I checked with all local authorities the progress being made on the starts I allocated to them.
Last year.
For 1998 and 1999. I did so because I suspected they were dilatory in availing of the opportunity being presented to them by the State in terms of the amount of funding being set aside. It took many of them until the end of the year to get contracts. At the time I checked, many of them had not started and did not have tenders or contracts.
What will the Minister do about it, take away their power?
As the Deputy is a member of a local authority he will know that I wrote to each of the managers who gave different reasons for the delay and gave an assurance that special steps would be taken. One of the principal reasons was the non-availability of suitable land. That may be so but there is nothing to stop local authorities acquiring land on the market or zoning land for residential purposes and using it for local authority housing or making sites available at affordable prices.
The time for this question has expired. As Deputy Clune who tabled Questions Nos. 77 and 78 is not present, they cannot be taken. That concludes questions nominated for priority. We now proceed to ordinary questions. Question No. 79.
It is only fair to point out that Deputy Clune is fog-bound in Belfast. She sent an apology to me and I think it should be put on the record of the House by way of explanation.
