Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 13 May 2015
194. Deputy Michelle Mulherin asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the number of applications for new builds made to his Department by Mayo County Council under the social housing strategy; the location of the proposed new builds; the total amount of money applied for; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18838/15]
Amharc ar fhreagra195. Deputy Michelle Mulherin asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the number of applications for the restoration of long-term voids made to his Department by Mayo County Council under the social housing strategy; the location of these long-term voids; the total amount of funding applied for; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18839/15]
Amharc ar fhreagra196. Deputy Michelle Mulherin asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the total number of new homes that are planned for County Mayo, under the social housing strategy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18840/15]
Amharc ar fhreagra197. Deputy Michelle Mulherin asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the total number of long-term void renovations that are planned for County Mayo under the social housing strategy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18841/15]
Amharc ar fhreagra198. Deputy Michelle Mulherin asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the number of persons on Mayo County Council's social housing support list; the number who are in private rented accommodation, through the rental accommodation scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18842/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 194 to 198, inclusive, together.
I recently announced social housing targets for each local authority, including Mayo County Council, out to 2017, along with provisional funding allocations. Full details of this announcement are available on my Department’s website at the following link: http://www.environ.ie/en/DevelopmentHousing/Housing/News/MainBody,41016,en.htm.
I announced a major social housing construction programme on 5 May 2015, with €312 million to be invested nationally, covering all 31 local authorities and with over 1,700 social housing units to be built across some 100 separate projects. That announcement included projects for Mayo covering the construction of 22 new social housing units at an estimated cost of €5 million. Details of that announcement are available on my Department’s website at the following link:
http://www.environ.ie/en/DevelopmentHousing/Housing/News/MainBody,41340,en.htm.
This announcement followed from the assessment of local authority proposals for their planned delivery of new social housing units. Local authorities had been requested to focus on projects that would -
- be suitable for early commencement and completion;
- meet social housing need in the area; and
- represent good value for money.
The projects announced on 5 May are those assessed at this stage as being suitable to proceed. However, the assessment of project proposals is continuing and proposals that were not among those announced, including those submitted by Mayo County Council, details of which are included in the table below, are still under active consideration in my Department. In line with the targets announced in the Social Housing Strategy, I will be making further announcements in due course of project approvals and funding allocations as the assessment process continues. In addition, local authorities may submit further proposals over the course of the Social Housing Strategy as they identify and priorities the delivery of social housing units to meet the need in their areas.
The proposed social housing projects submitted by Mayo County Council are as follows:
|
Proposed Project Name/Address |
Number of units |
Estimated costing as per local authority |
|
Return of vacant properties to use |
100 |
€1,500,000 |
|
Transfer of ‘unsold affordable’ housing stock to permanent social housing stock |
23 |
€6,504,480 |
|
Construction project at Tubberhill, Westport |
21 |
€3,800,000 |
|
Construction project at Marian Crescent, Ballina |
2 |
€250,000 |
|
Construction project at Knockmore, Ballina |
8 |
€1,300,000 |
|
Various New Builds for identification |
20 |
€3,200,000 |
|
Infills in various towns for identification |
40 |
€6,400,000 |
|
Single Rural Houses built to demand |
16 |
€2,400,000 |
|
Acquisitions in various towns for identification |
64 |
€8,960,000 |
Applications from local authorities for funding support to return vacant social housing units to productive use are invited by my Department on an annual basis. Mayo County Council sought support in respect of 100 such properties for 2015. The exact locations of units to be remediated is a matter in the first instance for the Council. Nationally, the funding available under Budget 2015 will see a target of 1,000 vacant housing units returned to productive use and the requests from Mayo County Council and all other local authorities are now being assessed with funding to each Council to be allocated shortly.
The most recent Summary of Social Housing Assessments, carried out as at 7 May 2013, found that there were 1,479 households on the waiting lists in Mayo. The 2013 figures are the most up-to-date figures available on waiting list numbers, which are subject to on-going fluctuation due to households being allocated housing and new households applying for housing support. In order to get the most accurate data relating to the numbers applying for social housing support, the Social Housing Strategy includes a commitment to increase the regularity of the summary of social housing assessments by undertaking it on annual basis from 2016 onwards. The full results of the 2013 Summary are available on my Department’s website at the following link:
http://www.environ.ie/en/PublicationsDocuments/FileDownLoad,34857,en.pdf.
The Rental Accommodation Scheme (RAS) commenced in 2005 and at the end of March 2015, local authorities had transferred a total of 52,529 households from Rent Supplement. Of these, 30,911 were housed directly under RAS and a further 21,618 were accommodated under other social housing options. In Mayo, up to the end of March 2015 some 1,420 households have been transferred from Rent Supplement directly to RAS and 501 to other social housing options.
