Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Tuesday, 6 Nov 2001

Vol. 543 No. 2

Written Answers. - Local Authority Housing.

Jack Wall

Ceist:

86 Mr. Wall asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government the total number of local authority dwellings required to be provided under the terms of the Programme for Prosperity and Fairness; the total number of these dwellings required to be provided to date; the reason for the shortfall; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26704/01]

Jan O'Sullivan

Ceist:

104 Ms O'Sullivan asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government the number of local authority houses completed during 2000; the number of voluntary sector houses completed in 2000; the number expected to be completed in 2001; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26682/01]

Brian O'Shea

Ceist:

112 Mr. O'Shea asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government his estimate of the total number of applicants on local authority housing lists; the amount by which he estimates the number of applicants has increased since the last assessment of housing needs, conducted in spring 1999; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26680/01]

Bernard J. Durkan

Ceist:

136 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government if his attention has been drawn to the increasing waiting lists for local authority and affordable houses; if his attention has further been drawn to the fact that some applicants have been on the waiting lists for the past four years; if he envisages an early resolution to the housing problems based on performance in the past 12 months; the plan he has to deal with the situation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26062/01]

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

I propose to take Questions Nos. 86, 104, 112 and 136 together.

The Government's commitment under the Programme for Prosperity and Fairness and action on housing in relation to the provision of local authority housing is to achieve a total of 25,000 house starts in a four year multi-annual programme 2000 to 2003. Satisfactory progress will have been achieved by end 2001 with 5,000 starts last year and an expected 7,000 starts in the current year.

The total number of houses completed or acquired by local authorities in 2000 was 3,207 units and the expected output this year should be around the 5,000 mark. This increased level of output is underpinned by an increased level of work in progress which will sustain a similar level of output in 2002. Voluntary housing output this year should be the highest level ever recorded at about 1,200 units compared to 951 last year and 579 in 1999.

The results of the statutory assessment of housing needs undertaken by local authorities at end March 1999 indicated a total of 39,176 households in need of local authority housing. From ongoing contacts with local authorities my Department estimates that needs have increased by some 20% between March 1999 and March 2001. The next statutory assessment of housing needs is due to be undertaken by local authorities at end March 2002. This will be a comprehensive assessment of housing applications and will be undertaken in accordance with detailed guidelines to be issued by my Department by the end of this year.

Information available from the 1999 assessment of housing need indicates that more than two thirds of households assessed as in need of local authority housing were on the local authority waiting list for less than two years and it remains the case that a significant number of households on waiting lists are housed within two years. Some applicants for local authority housing, however, are on lists for longer periods on the basis that their priority for housing is relatively lower compared with the needs of households who have been allocated housing. Local authorities do not maintain waiting lists for houses being sold under the affordable housing scheme. Houses are advertised locally as they become available.

The Government is fully aware of the increased level of social housing need and priority is being given to tackling this need. The local authority housing programme is, of course, only one of a range of ways in which the needs of households on local authority waiting lists is being met. I am confident that the enhanced multi-annual local authority housing programme together with the increased output from the complementary social housing measures and vacancies occurring in the existing stock, will enable the housing needs of around 11,000 households be met this year and that the increased social housing output over the coming four years will meet the needs of over 50,000 households.