Vol. 543 No. 2
134 Mr. Spring asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government the progress made to date by the housing forum established under the Programme for Prosperity and Fairness; when it is expected that the forum will complete its work and publish a report; if the forum has made submissions to the Government; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26699/01]
The terms of reference of the Housing Forum were agreed with the social partners and set out in the Programme for Prosperity and Fairness. The forum is to monitor developments in relation to the supply and affordability of housing; monitor the implementation of the housing objectives and actions set out in frameworks two and three of the Programme for Prosperity and Fairness in the context of the targets set in the national development plan; provide the social partners with an opportunity to contribute to the further development by my Department of policy responses in respect of the housing issues identified in the programme and involve the social partners with Government in tackling constraints on the achievement of the housing supply targets set out in the programme and the national development plan.
The Housing Forum has met on six occasions and the next meeting is scheduled for 28 November 2001. It was agreed in the PPF that the forum would meet quarterly over the lifetime of the programme and, accordingly, it is not intended to produce a specific report or reports by particular dates. However, the forum, in the context of its ongoing work, will decide the timing and nature of any reports.
The forum has considered a range of issues to date including the report on social and affordable accommodation, Building the Future, published by the National Economic and Social Forum and the report of the Commission on the Private Rented Residential Sector. The forum has also discussed issues related to homelessness and the housing strategies prepared by local authorities under Part V of the Planning and Development Act, 2000. Progress reports on the implementation of the measures contained in the Government's action on housing have also been considered by the forum.
