The results of the statutory assessment of local authority housing need, which was undertaken by local authorities in March 2002, indicated that a total of 48,413 households were in need of housing, compared with 39,176 households in March 1999. Detailed information on the results of the 2002 assessment was published in my Department's September 2002 quarterly edition of the Housing Statistics Bulletin, copies of which are available in the Oireachtas Library.
It is estimated that the total social and affordable housing output under the local authority housing programme taken with housing outputs from the voluntary housing sector and other social housing measures, as well as vacancies arising during the course of the year, will meet the needs of some 13,000 households this year. This includes an estimated 5,000 local authority house completions/acquisitions, including output from new house completions in Ballymun and under other regeneration programmes. Meeting the needs of some 13,000 households this year compares with the needs of 8,650 households being met in 2000.