Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 14 October 2014
311. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he is satisfied that Rural Resettlement Ireland Limited has operated within its objectives as a non-profit making charity and that the rents it has accrued are in accordance with this objective. [38971/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraRural Resettlement Ireland Limited is a housing body approved under Section 6 of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1992 for the purpose of the provision of housing relief. Approved Housing Bodies (AHBs) consist mainly of voluntary or co-operative organisations registered under the Companies Acts, societies registered under the Industrial & Provident Societies Acts and/or Trusts incorporated under the Charities Acts. Compliance with the overall objectives of a body is a matter, in the just instance, for the body’s Board and Management. Rural Resettlement Ireland Limited has, in the past, received funding under both the Capital Assistance and Capital Loan and Subsidy Schemes. My Department’s role in relation to capital funding schemes for AHBs relates primarily to the provision of funds to support the annual construction and housing acquisitions programmes by the AHB concerned. It is a matter for the relevant housing authority to ensure compliance with the terms and conditions of the schemes and to have appropriate oversight and liaison arrangements in place for the effective administration of the schemes and for ensuring that the investment in voluntary housing is safeguarded.
This Government is committed to better regulation of the AHB sector. In July 2013, Building for the Future a voluntary regulation code for the approved housing body (AHB) sector was published. In February 2014 an interim Regulatory Committee was established to oversee the implementation of the code and to advise on the development of statutory regulation. A Regulation Office has also been established within the Housing Agency to manage the day to day functions of implementing the voluntary code. To date, just over 160 AHBs have signed up to the code and further details are available on the Agency’s website at http://www.housing.ie/Regulation.aspx.
In July 2014, the Government approved the preparation of the Heads of a Bill to provide for the statutory regulation and governance of AHBs. I expect that the finalised Heads of the Bill will be ready for submission to Government early in 2015. The interim period of voluntary regulation will be a valuable source of information as to the scope and final content of the Bill.
