Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 8 May 2013
64. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Finance if he will confirm for each of 2010, 2011, 2012 and to date in 2013, the number of housing units sold by the National Assets Management Agency in the State for social housing; the number leased and the number presently being offered for sale or rent for social housing. [21637/13]
Amharc ar fhreagraI am advised by NAMA that, since December 2011, it has identified over 4,000 residential properties as being available for social housing purposes to the Housing Agency. To date, demand has been confirmed by the relevant local authorities/Housing Agency for just over 1,500 of these properties; another 2,000 are no longer under consideration for a number of reasons including a lack of demand or because they have been deemed by the local authorities to be unsuitable. The rest of the identified properties are in the process of being assessed. Once demand for a property has been confirmed by a local authority/Housing Agency, NAMA facilitates contact and negotiation between its debtor or receiver and the local authority or Approved Housing Body (AHB) to acquire or lease the property. To help streamline delivery, NAMA established a special purpose vehicle, National Asset Residential Property Services Limited, to take ownership of properties for which demand has been established. After contracts are signed and the properties are deemed to be habitable, there is no impediment to the early delivery of the properties by NAMA debtors and receivers.
I am advised that a full breakdown of the 1,500 properties for which demand has been confirmed to date is provided on the Housing Agency website (www.housing.ie/NAMA), including an update of the position as at end-March 2013.
