Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Thursday, 14 Dec 2000

Vol. 528 No. 3

Written Answers. - Voluntary Housing Sector.

Eamon Gilmore

Ceist:

163 Mr. Gilmore asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government the number of new housing units provided by the voluntary housing sector, for each year since 1994; the number completed in 2000; and the number which the Minister expects to be produced by the voluntary sector for each year until 2003. [30196/00]

Minister of State at the Department of the Environment and Local Government (Mr. Molloy)

Details of the total number of new hous ing units provided by the voluntary housing sector for each year since 1994 are set out in the following table:

Year	Number of Units Provided
1994	901
1995	1,011
1996	917
1997	756
1998	485
1999	579
2000	(est.)1,000 (est.)

Output from the voluntary housing sector had been in decline since 1995. On my appointment as Minister in 1997 I resolved to reverse this trend. I have increased the unit cost limits for assistance under the voluntary housing schemes in each of the last three years and these will continue to be reviewed. These improved terms are clearly having a positive effect on activity in the sector. Returns received from local authorities for the first nine months of this year show a substantial increase in the number of completions achieved by the sector for the year so far and also a marked increase in the numbers under construction and at planning stage compared to the start of the year. Definitive outturn figures for this year are not yet available, however, I expect that some 1,000 additional units will be provided.

The output targets for the voluntary housing sector in the years 2001-2003 are set out below:

Voluntary Housing Programme

Year	Number of Unitsto be Provided
2001	1,250
2002	1,500
2003	1,750